Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§1381 Enticing Desertion and Harboring Deserters
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 67 — MILITARY AND NAVY › § 1381
Summary
Makes it a crime to persuade, help, or try to get a member of the U.S. Armed Forces to leave without permission, or to hide, protect, or refuse to hand over someone you know has left without permission. The punishment can be a fine, up to three years in prison, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1381
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever entices or procures, or attempts or endeavors to entice or procure any person in the Armed Forces of the United States, or who has been recruited for service therein, to desert therefrom, or aids any such person in deserting or in attempting to desert from such service; or Whoever harbors, conceals, protects, or assists any such person who may have deserted from such service, knowing him to have deserted therefrom, or refuses to give up and deliver such person on the demand of any officer authorized to receive him— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 94 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 42, 35 Stat. 1097). Mandatory punishment provisions were changed to alternative. Words “armed forces” were substituted for repeated references to military service, naval service, soldier and seamen. Minor changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $2,000” in last par.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 1381
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102