Misprision of treason
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States and having knowledge of the commission of any treason against them, conceals and does not, as soon as may be, disclose and make known the same to the President or to some judge of the United States, or to the governor or to some judge or justice of a particular State, is guilty of misprision of treason and shall be or imprisoned not more than seven years, or both.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 807 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB).)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime for a person who owes loyalty to the United States to know that treason has been committed and hide it instead of reporting it promptly to the President, a federal judge, or a state governor or judge. This is called misprision (concealment) of treason.