Violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
(a) Whoever, as consideration for the receipt of, or as consideration for a promise or agreement to pay, anything of pecuniary value from an enterprise engaged in racketeering activity, or for the purpose of gaining entrance to or maintaining or increasing position in an enterprise engaged in racketeering activity, murders, kidnaps, maims, assaults with a dangerous weapon, commits assault resulting in upon, or threatens to commit a crime of violence against any individual in violation of the laws of any State or the United States, or or so to do, shall be punished—
(1) for murder, by death or life imprisonment, or a , or both; and for kidnapping, by imprisonment for any term of years or for life, or a , or both;
(2) for maiming, by imprisonment for not more than thirty years or a , or both;
(3) for assault with a dangerous weapon or assault resulting in , by imprisonment for not more than twenty years or a , or both;
(4) for threatening to commit a crime of violence, by imprisonment for not more than five years or a , or both;
(5) for attempting or conspiring to commit murder or kidnapping, by imprisonment for not more than ten years or a , or both; and
(6) for attempting or conspiring to commit a crime involving maiming, assault with a dangerous weapon, or assault resulting in , by imprisonment for not more than three years or a fine of [1] under this title, or both.
(b)
As used in this section—
(1) "racketeering activity" has the meaning set forth in section 1961 of this title; and
(2) "enterprise" includes any partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity, and any union or group of individuals associated in fact although not a legal entity, which is engaged in, or the activities of which affect, .
History: (Added Pub. L. 98–473, title II, §1002(a), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2137 (PDF, 62 MB), §1952B; renumbered §1959, Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, §7053(b), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4402 (PDF, 56 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title VI, §60003(a)(12), title XXXIII, §§330016(1)(J), (2)(C), 330021(1), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1969 (PDF, 52 MB), 2147, 2148, 2150.)
1 So in original. The word "of" probably should not appear.
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime to murder, kidnap, maim, assault with a dangerous weapon or cause serious injury, or threaten violence against someone in exchange for payment from a criminal enterprise (an organized group involved in racketeering), or to join, stay in, or move up in such a group. Attempts and conspiracies are also crimes.