§ 2B6.1.
Altering or Removing Motor Vehicle Identification Numbers, or Trafficking in Motor Vehicles or Parts with Altered or Obliterated Identification Numbers
(a) Base Offense Level: 8
(b) Specific Offense Characteristics
(1) If the retail value of the motor vehicles or parts (A) exceeded $3,500 but did not exceed $9,000, increase by 1 level; or (B) exceeded $9,000, increase by the number of levels from the table in §2B1.1 (Theft, Property Destruction, and Fraud) corresponding to that amount.
(2) If the defendant was in the business of receiving and selling stolen property, increase by 2 levels.
Historical note
Effective November 1, 1987. Amended effective November 1, 1989 (amendments 117, 118, and 119); November 1, 1993 (amendment 482); November 1, 2001 (amendment 617); November 1, 2010 (amendment 746); November 1, 2015 (amendment 791); November 1, 2026 (amendments 837 and 838).
Commentary
Statutory provisions
Statutory Provisions: 18 U.S.C. §§ 511, 553(a)(2), 2321.
Application Note:
1. The term “increase by the number of levels from the table in §2B1.1 (Theft, Property Destruction, and Fraud) corresponding to that amount,” as used in subsection (b)(1), refers to the number of levels corresponding to the retail value of the motor vehicles or parts involved.
Background
Background: The statutes covered in this guideline prohibit altering or removing motor vehicle identification numbers, importing or exporting, or trafficking in motor vehicles or parts knowing that the identification numbers have been removed, altered, tampered with, or obliterated. Violations of 18 U.S.C. § 511 carry a maximum of five years imprisonment. Violations of 18 U.S.C. §§ 553(a)(2) and 2321 carry a maximum of ten years imprisonment.