Officer permitting escape
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever, having in his custody any prisoner by virtue of process issued under the laws of the United States by any court, judge, or magistrate judge, voluntarily suffers such prisoner to escape, shall be or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both; or if he suffers such person to escape, he shall be or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 735 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 90–578, title IV, §402(b)(2), Oct. 17, 1968, 82 Stat. 1118 (PDF, 2.3 MB); Pub. L. 101–650, title III, §321, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5117 (PDF, 7.4 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(G), (I), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB); Pub. L. 104–132, title VII, §705(a)(2), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1295.)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime for a person who has custody of a federal prisoner to let that prisoner escape. This applies to officers or others holding prisoners under federal court orders.