Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§913 Impersonator Making Arrest or Search
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 43 — FALSE PERSONATION › § 913
Summary
If someone pretends to be a U.S. officer, agent, or employee and then arrests or holds a person, or searches a person, building, or other property, they can be fined under federal law, sent to prison for up to three years, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §913
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever falsely represents himself to be an officer, agent, or employee of the United States, and in such assumed character arrests or detains any person or in any manner searches the person, buildings, or other property of any person, 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., § 77a (Aug. 27, 1935, ch. 740, § 201, 49 Stat. 877). Words “shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor” were omitted. (See definitive section 1 of this title.) Words “and upon conviction thereof” preceding “shall be” were omitted as surplusage since punishment cannot be imposed until conviction is secured. Maximum imprisonment provision was changed from 1 year to 3 years so as to be consistent with section 911 and 912 of this title, the latter having also been changed to 3 years. There is no sound reason why a uniform punishment should not be prescribed for the offenses defined in these three sections. 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”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 913
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102