AMENDMENT 665
Amendment: Section 2B1.1(b) is amended by redesignating subdivisions (7) through (14) as subdivisions (8) through (15), respectively; and by inserting after subdivision (6) the following:
"(7) If (A) the defendant was convicted of an offense under 18 U.S.C. § 1037; and (B) the offense involved obtaining electronic mail addresses through improper means, increase by 2 levels.".
The Commentary to §2B1.1 captioned "Statutory Provisions" is amended by inserting "1037," after "1031,".
The Commentary to §2B1.1 captioned "Application Notes" is amended in Note 4 by redesignating subdivisions (B) and (C) as subdivisions (C) and (D), respectively; and by inserting after subdivision (A) the following:
"(B) Applicability to Transmission of Multiple Commercial Electronic Mail Messages.—For purposes of subsection (b)(2), an offense under 18 U.S.C. § 1037, or any other offense involving conduct described in 18 U.S.C. § 1037, shall be considered to have been committed through mass-marketing. Accordingly, the defendant shall receive at least a two-level enhancement under subsection (b)(2) and may, depending on the facts of the case, receive a greater enhancement under such subsection, if the defendant was convicted under, or the offense involved conduct described in, 18 U.S.C. § 1037.".
The Commentary to §2B1.1 captioned "Application Notes" is amended by redesignating Notes 6 through 18 as Notes 7 through 19, respectively; and by inserting after Note 5 the following:
"6. Application of Subsection (b)(7).—For purposes of subsection (b)(7), ‘improper means’ includes the unauthorized harvesting of electronic mail addresses of users of a website, proprietary service, or other online public forum.".
Appendix A (Statutory Index) is amended by inserting after the line referenced to 18 U.S.C. § 1035 the following new line:
"18 U.S.C. § 1037 2B1.1".
Reason for Amendment: This amendment responds to the directive in section 4(b) of the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act (CAN-SPAM Act) of 2003, Pub. L. 108–187. The Act creates five new felony offenses codified at 18 U.S.C. § 1037 and directs the Commission to review and as appropriate amend the sentencing guidelines and policy statements to establish appropriate penalties for violations of 18 U.S.C. § 1037 and other offenses that may be facilitated by sending large volumes of unsolicited electronic mail, including fraud, identity theft, obscenity, child pornography and sexual exploitation of children. The Act also requires that the Commission consider providing sentencing enhancements for several factors, including defendants convicted under 18 U.S.C. § 1037 who obtained electronic mail addresses through improper means.
The amendment refers violations of subsections of 18 U.S.C. § 1037 to §2B1.1 (Larceny, Embezzlement, and Other Forms of Theft; Offenses Involving Stolen Property; Property Damage or Destruction; Fraud and Deceit; Forgery; Offenses involving Altered or Counterfeit Instruments Other than Counterfeit Bearer Obligations of the United States). The Commission determined that reference to §2B1.1 is appropriate because subsection 18 U.S.C. § 1037(a)(1) involves misappropriation of another’s computer, and 18 U.S.C. § 1037(a)(2) through (a)(5) involve deceit. Because each offense under 18 U.S.C. § 1037 contains as an element the transmission of multiple commercial electronic messages (where "multiple" is defined in the statute as "more than 100 electronic mail messages during a 24-hour period, more than 1,000 electronic mail messages during a 30-day period, or more than 10,000 electronic mail messages during a 1-year period"), the amendment provides in Application Note 4 that the mass-marketing enhancement in §2B1.1(b)(2)(A)(ii) shall apply automatically to any defendant who is convicted of 18 U.S.C. § 1037, or who committed an offense involving conduct described in 18 U.S.C. § 1037. Broadening application of the mass marketing enhancement to all defendants sentenced under §2B1.1 whose offense involves conduct described in 18 U.S.C. § 1037, whether or not the defendant is convicted under 18 U.S.C. § 1037, responds specifically to that part of the directive concerning offenses that are facilitated by sending large volumes of electronic mail.
Additionally, in response to the directive, a new specific offense characteristic in §2B1.1(b)(7) provides for a two-level increase if the defendant is convicted under 18 U.S.C. § 1037 and the offense involved obtaining electronic mail addressed through improper means. A corresponding application note provides a definition of "improper means." Finally, the Commission also responded to the directive concerning other offenses by making several modifications to other guidelines, as set forth in Amendment 2 of this document. For example, an amendment to the obscenity guideline, §2G3.1 (Importing, Mailing, or Transporting Obscene Matter; Transferring Obscene Matter to a Minor), added a two-level enhancement if the offense involved the use of a computer or interactive computer service.
Effective Date: The effective date of this amendment is November 1, 2004.