§1657 — Title 18 Crimes and Criminal Procedure | U.S. Code

Summary

It is illegal to try to bribe or persuade a ship’s captain, officer, or sailor to give up a ship or its cargo, run away with them, become a pirate, join pirates, or trade with someone you know is a pirate. It is also illegal to give a pirate weapons, supplies, or food; to outfit a ship knowing it will help pirates or sea robbers; to plan, work with, or talk to a pirate you know has done piracy or robbery; or for a sailor to lock up a ship’s captain. A person found guilty can be fined, jailed for up to three years, or both.

Title 18, §1657

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whoever attempts to corrupt any commander, master, officer, or mariner to yield up or to run away with any vessel, or any goods, wares, or merchandise, or to turn pirate or to go over to or confederate with pirates, or in any wise to trade with any pirate, knowing him to be such; or Whoever furnishes such pirate with any ammunition, stores, or provisions of any kind; or Whoever fits out any vessel knowingly and, with a design to trade with, supply, or correspond with any pirate or robber upon the seas; or Whoever consults, combines, confederates, or corresponds with any pirate or robber upon the seas, knowing him to be guilty of any piracy or robbery; or Whoever, being a seaman, confines the master of any vessel— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 498 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 307, 35 Stat. 1148). Mandatory punishment provisions were rephrased in the alternative. Minor changes were made in phraseology.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000” in last par. 1990—Pub. L. 101–647, which directed insertion of “section 11, 12, or 13 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act” after “consideration of any action brought under”, could not be executed because the words “consideration of any action brought under” did not appear.

§1657 Corruption of Seamen and Confederating with Pirates