2005 Federal Sentencing Guidelines
Chapter 2 - PART G - OFFENSES INVOLVING
COMMERCIAL SEX ACTS, SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF MINORS, AND OBSCENITY
§2G3.2. Obscene Telephone Communications for a Commercial Purpose;
Broadcasting Obscene Material
(a) Base Offense Level: 12
(b) Specific Offense Characteristics
(1) If a person who received the telephonic communication was less than
eighteen years of age, or if a broadcast was made between six o’clock
in the morning and eleven o’clock at night, increase by 4 levels.
(2) If 6 plus the offense level from
the table in §2B1.1 (Theft, Property Destruction, and Fraud) corresponding
to the volume of commerce attributable to the defendant is greater than the
offense level determined above, increase to that offense level.
Commentary
Statutory Provisions: 18
U.S.C. §§ 1464, 1468; 47 U.S.C. §
223(b)(1)(A).
Background: Subsection (b)(1)
provides an enhancement where an obscene telephonic communication was received
by a minor less than 18 years of age or where a broadcast was made during a
time when such minors were likely to receive it. Subsection (b)(2) provides
an enhancement for large-scale "dial-a-porn" or obscene broadcasting operations
that results in an offense level comparable to the offense level for such operations
under
§2G3.1 (Importing, Mailing, or Transporting Obscene Matter; Transferring
Obscene Matter to a Minor). The extent to which the obscene material was distributed
is approximated by the volume of commerce attributable to the defendant.
Historical Note: Effective
November 1, 1989 (see Appendix
C, amendment 164). Amended effective November 1, 2000 (see Appendix
C, amendment 592); November 1, 2001 (see Appendix
C, amendment 617). A former §2G3.2 (Obscene or Indecent Telephone Communications),
effective November 1, 1987, was deleted effective November 1, 1989 (see Appendix
C, amendment 164).