PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

If a person runs a business that makes, sells, or transfers obscene books, pictures, films, videotapes, or audio recordings and they knowingly receive or keep such items intending to sell or distribute them after those items were sent across state lines or from another country, they can face up to 5 years in prison, a fine, or both. Being "engaged in the business" means doing these activities regularly to try to earn money, even if it is not your main job or you do not make a profit. Offering at one time two or more copies of any obscene publication, two or more of any obscene article, or five or more items total creates an assumption you are in the business, but you can show evidence to dispute that.

Title 18, §1466

Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Whoever is engaged in the business of producing with intent to distribute or sell, or selling or transferring obscene matter, who knowingly receives or possesses with intent to distribute any obscene book, magazine, picture, paper, film, videotape, or phonograph or other audio recording, which has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce, shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than 5 years or by a fine under this title, or both.

(b)As used in this section, the term “engaged in the business” means that the person who produces sells or transfers or offers to sell or transfer obscene matter devotes time, attention, or labor to such activities, as a regular course of trade or business, with the objective of earning a profit, although it is not necessary that the person make a profit or that the production, selling or transferring or offering to sell or transfer such material be the person’s sole or principal business or source of income. The offering for sale of or to transfer, at one time, two or more copies of any obscene publication, or two or more of any obscene article, or a combined total of five or more such publications and articles, shall create a rebuttable presumption that the person so offering them is “engaged in the business” as defined in this subsection.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2006—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–248, § 506(b)(1), inserted “producing with intent to distribute or sell, or” before “selling or transferring obscene matter,”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–248, § 506(b)(3), which directed amendment of subsec. (b) by inserting “production,” before “selling or transferring or offering to sell or transfer such material.”, was executed by making the insertion before “selling or transferring or offering to sell or transfer such material be”, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Pub. L. 109–248, § 506(b)(2), inserted “produces” before “sells or transfers or offers to sell or transfer obscene matter”. 1990—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–647 substituted “this section” for “this subsection” and “this subsection” for “subsection (b)”.

§1466 Engaging in the Business of Selling or Transferring Obscene Matter

Summary

Title 18, §1466

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata