# Sentencing Guidelines for United States Courts

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URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A03-31755

## Record

- **Collection:** Federal Register
- **Document type:** Notice
- **Published:** December 30, 2003
- **Citation:** 68 FR 75340

## Text

UNITED STATES SENTENCING COMMISSION
Sentencing Guidelines for United States Courts

AGENCY:

United States Sentencing Commission.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed amendments to sentencing guidelines, policy statements, and commentary. Request for public comment, including public comment regarding retroactive application of any of the proposed amendments.

SUMMARY:

Pursuant to section 994(a), (o), and (p) of title 28, United States Code, the United States Sentencing Commission is considering promulgating certain amendments to the sentencing guidelines, policy statements, and commentary. This notice sets forth the proposed amendments and, for each proposed amendment, a synopsis of the issues addressed by that amendment. This notice also provides multiple issues for comment, some of which are contained within proposed amendments.

The specific proposed amendments and issues for comment in this notice are as follows: (1) Proposed amendments that implement directives to the Commission contained in the Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to end the Exploitation of Children Today Act of 2003 (“PROTECT Act”), Public Law 108-21, regarding child pornography and sexual abuse offenses, and related issues for comment; (2) proposed amendments to Chapter Eight (Sentencing of Organizations) to provide a new guideline regarding compliance programs, and related issues for comment; (3) proposed new guideline at § 2K2.6 (Possessing, Purchasing, or Owning Body Armor by Violent Felons) that addresses the new offense at 18 U.S.C. 931 pertaining to the possession of body armor by certain prohibited persons; (4) proposed amendments to Chapter Two, Part C (Offenses Involving Public Officials) that increase the penalties for offenses involving public corruption, and related issues for comment; (5) proposed amendments that (A) address the directive in section 608 of the PROTECT Act pertaining to increased penalties for offenses involving gamma hydroxybutyric acid (“GHB”); (B) provide a penalty structure for controlled substance analogues in § 2D1.1 (Unlawful Manufacturing, Importing, Exporting, or Trafficking (Including Possession with Intent to Commit These Offenses); Attempt and Conspiracy); (C) add white phosphorous and hypophosphorous acid to the Drug Quantity Table in § 2D1.1(c); and (D) make various technical changes to §§ 2D1.1, 2D1.11 (Unlawfully Distributing, Importing, Exporting, or Possessing a Listed Chemical; Attempt and Conspiracy), and Appendix A (Statutory Index), and related issues for comment; (6) proposed amendment to repeal the “mitigating role cap” in § 2D1.1(b)(3) and replace it with an alternative approach, and a related issue for comment; (7) proposed amendments to the homicide and assault guidelines that implement the directive in section 11008(e) of the 21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act, Public Law 107-273, and that address proportionality concerns, and related issues for comment; (8) proposed amendments that makes various technical and conforming amendments to the guidelines, and related issues for comment; (9) proposed amendment to § 2K2.1 (Unlawful Receipt, Possession, or Transportation of Firearms or Ammunition; Prohibited Transactions Involving Firearms or Ammunition) that increases the penalties for offenses involving man-portable air defense systems (“MANPADS”) and other similar destructive devices, and related issues for comment; (10) an issue for comment regarding aberrant behavior; and (11) issues for comment regarding the treatment under the guidelines of offenses involving the illegal transportation of hazardous materials.

DATES:

Written public comment regarding the proposed amendments and issues for comment set forth in this notice, including public comment regarding retroactive application of any of the proposed amendments, should be received by the Commission not later than March 1, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

Public comment should be sent to: United States Sentencing Commission, One Columbus Circle, NE., Suite 2-500, Washington, DC 20002-8002, Attention: Public Affairs.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michael Courlander, Public Affairs Officer, Telephone: (202) 502-4590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The United States Sentencing Commission is an independent agency in the judicial branch of the United States Government. The Commission promulgates sentencing guidelines and policy statements for federal courts pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 994(a). The Commission also periodically reviews and revises previously promulgated guidelines pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 994(o) and submits guideline amendments to the Congress not later than the first day of May of each year pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 994(p).

The Commission seeks comment on the proposed amendments, issues for comment, and any other aspect of the sentencing guidelines, policy statements, and commentary.

The proposed amendments in this notice are presented in one of two formats. First, some of the amendments are proposed as specific revisions to a guideline or commentary. Bracketed text within a proposed amendment indicates a heightened interest on the Commission's part on comment and suggestions regarding alternative policy choices; for example, a proposed enhancement of [2] levels indicates that the Commission is considering, and invites comment on, alternative policy choices regarding the appropriate level of enhancement. Similarly, bracketed text within a specific offense characteristic or application note means that the Commission specifically invites comment on whether the proposed provision is appropriate. Second, the Commission has highlighted certain issues for comment and invites suggestions on how the Commission should respond to those issues.

The Commission also requests public comment regarding whether the Commission should specify for retroactive application to previously sentenced defendants any of the proposed amendments published in this notice. The Commission requests comment regarding which, if any, of the proposed amendments that may result in a lower guideline range should be made retroactive to previously sentenced defendants pursuant to § 1B1.10 (Reduction in Term of Imprisonment as a Result of Amended Guideline Range).

Additional information pertaining to the proposed amendments described in this notice may be accessed through the Commission's Web site at
www.ussc.gov.

Authority:

28 U.S.C. § 994(a), (o), (p), (x); USSC Rules of Practice and Procedure, Rule 4.4.

Diana E. Murphy,
Chair.

Proposed Amendment 1: Child Pornography and Sexual Abuse of Minors

Synopsis of Proposed Amendment:
This proposed amendment contains a number of proposals designed to implement the directives to the Commission regarding child pornography and sexual abuse offenses in the Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to end the Exploitation of Children Today Act of 2003, (the “PROTECT Act”), Public Law 108-21.

Furthermore, this amendment addresses a number of issues in response to comments from the Department of Justice's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (“CEOS”), calls to the Commission's Helpline, and issues identified through case law regarding the sexual abuse and pornography guidelines. This proposed amendment makes changes to Chapter Two, Part A (Criminal Sexual Abuse), Chapter Two, Part G (Offenses Involving Commercial Sex Acts, Sexual Exploitation of Minors, and Obscenity), §§ 3D1.2 (Groups of Closely Related Counts), 5B1.3 (Conditions of Probation), 5D1.2 (Term of Supervised Release), 5D1.3 (Conditions of Supervised Release), and Appendix A (Statutory Index). Several issues for comment regarding these guidelines and § 4B1.5 (Repeat and Dangerous Sex Offender Against Minors) follow the proposed amendments.

I. Child Pornography Offenses

This part of the proposed amendment covers offenses sentenced under §§ 2G2.2 (Trafficking in Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor; Receiving, Transporting, Shipping, or Advertising Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor; Possessing Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor with Intent to Traffic), 2G2.4 (Possession of Materials Depicting a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct), and 2G2.1 (Sexually Exploiting a Minor by Production of Sexually Explicit Visual or Printed Material; Custodian Permitting Minor to Engage in Sexually Explicit Conduct; Advertisement for Minors to Engage in Production). Issues for comment regarding the scope of specific enhancements in these guidelines and the application of the “image tables” and “sado-masochistic” enhancements at §§ 2G2.2 and 2G2.4 follow the proposed amendments.

A. Trafficking Offenses Under § 2G2.2

Section 103 of the PROTECT Act creates five year mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment for offenses related to trafficking of child pornography under 18 U.S.C. 2252(a)(1)-(3) and 2252A(a)(1), (2), (3), (4) and (6). This section also increases the statutory maximum terms of imprisonment for these offenses from 15 years to 20 years. As a result, this proposed amendment provides two options for increasing the base offense level in § 2G2.2 to reflect the new five year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment. Option 1 increases the base offense level for all offenses covered by this guideline from level 17 to level [22][24][25][26]. Option 2 provides alternative base offense levels of level [20][22][24] if the conduct was limited to the receipt or solicitation of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor and level [22][24][25][26] for all other offenses.

Section 503 of the PROTECT Act creates two new offenses in 18 U.S.C. 2252A. The new offense at 18 U.S.C. 2252A(a)(3)(B) prohibits advertising, promoting, presenting, distributing, or soliciting any material or purported material that the defendant believes, or intends to cause another to believe, contains actual or obscene child pornography. No actual materials need to exist in order to be convicted under this provision, thus even fraudulent offers to buy or sell such materials are covered under this provision. The new offense at 18 U.S.C. 2252A(a)(6) prohibits using any type of real or apparent child pornography to induce a child to commit a crime. Section 513(c) of the PROTECT Act directs the Commission to review and, as appropriate, amend the guidelines to ensure that penalties are adequate to deter and punish conduct that involves a violation of these new offenses. In addition, the Commission is directed to “consider the relative culpability of promoting, presenting, describing, or distributing material” in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(3)(B) as compared to soliciting such material.

In response to this directive, several options are proposed. First, the amendment refers both of these new offenses to the trafficking guideline, § 2G2.2. Currently, § 2G2.2(b)(2) provides, for offenses involving distribution of child pornography, a two-to seven-level enhancement, depending on the type of distribution. Section 2G2.2(b)(2)(C) provides a five-level enhancement for offenses involving distribution to a minor, and § 2G2.2(b)(2)(D) provides a seven-level enhancement for “distribution to a minor that was intended to persuade, induce, entice, coerce, or facilitate the travel of, the minor to engage in prohibited sexual conduct.” In response to the new offense at 18 U.S.C. 2252(A)(a)(b), the proposed amendment adds a six-level enhancement at § 2G2.2(b)(2) if the offense involved distribution to a minor that was intended to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce a minor to engage in any illegal activity.

This proposal addresses in two ways the directive to compare the relative culpability of a defendant who promotes, presents, describes, or distributes child pornographic material to the culpability of a defendant who merely solicits such material. First, the amendment provides an alternative base offense level “if (A) the defendant's conduct was limited to the receipt or solicitation of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor; and (B) the defendant did not intend to traffic in, or distribute, such material.” Second, the proposal amends § 2G2.2(b)(2) and the commentary of that guideline to make clear that the enhancement only applies to defendants whose conduct involves some form of distribution. In addition, this proposal adds commentary to the definition of “distribution” that makes clear that distribution does not include merely soliciting child pornography. Therefore, defendants who merely solicit child pornography will not be subject to the distribution enhancement at § 2G2.2(b)(2) unless their conduct involves some other act related to the transfer of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor. Third, the amendment contains an option in the distribution enhancement at § 2G2.2(b)(2) to change the enhancement from “if the offense involved” to “if the defendant's conduct involved”, which would limit the defendant's exposure under the enhancement to that of the defendant's own conduct.

Section 504 of the PROTECT Act creates a new offense at 18 U.S.C. 1466A that prohibits producing, distributing, receiving, possessing, or possessing with intent to distribute visual depictions (including drawings, cartoons, sculptures or paintings) that depict (1) a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and is obscene; or (2) an image that is, or appears to be, a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. Trafficking in such materials is covered under subsection (a) and carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Simple possession of such materials is covered under 18 U.S.C. 1466A(b) and punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years. Although 18 U.S.C. 1466A covers offenses of trafficking in, possession with intent to traffic in, and simple possession of, obscene material, section 504 of the PROTECT Act directs the Commission to punish these offenses consistent with child pornography trafficking offenses sentenced under § 2G2.2. By strictly complying with the language of this directive, however, the Commission would create an anomaly with regard to simple possession cases. For example, a defendant convicted of

possessing an obscene cartoon drawing depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct under 18 U.S.C. § 1466A(b) would receive a sentence equivalent to a five year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment under § 2G2.2, while a defendant convicted under 18 U.S.C. 2252(a)(4) of possessing a picture of actual minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct would receive a sentence of only two years' imprisonment under § 2G2.4.

According to the legislative history, the intent of the directive in section 504 was to ensure that offenses under 18 U.S.C. 1466A are “subject to the penalties applicable to child pornography, not the lower penalties that apply to obscenity.” See H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 66, 108th Cong. 1st Sess. (2003). Obscenity offenses are sentenced under § 2G3.1, which has a base offense level of level 10. Simple possession offenses under 18 U.S.C. 1466A(b) more appropriately may be covered under the simple possession guideline, § 2G2.4. Therefore, the proposed amendment refers offenses under 18 U.S.C. 1466A(a) involving trafficking and possession with intent to traffic to § 2G2.2, as directed by Congress, but refers offenses under 18 U.S.C. 1466A(b) involving simple possession to § 2G2.4.

This proposed amendment also makes a number of changes to Appendix A (Statutory Index) and the statutory provisions in § 2G2.2. Offenses under 18 U.S.C. 2252 and 2252A currently are referenced to both §§ 2G2.2 and 2G2.4 because these statutes contain prohibitions on both trafficking in and simple possession of child pornography. This proposal amends Appendix A and the statutory provisions in § 2G2.2 to refer trafficking offenses in 18 U.S.C. 2252(a)(1)-(3) and 2252A(a)(1), (2), (3), (4), and (6) to § 2G2.2 only, thereby ensuring that the trafficking offenses receive the appropriate base offense level which corresponds to the five year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment. This amendment makes a similar change with respect to offenses under 18 U.S.C. 2251(d)(1)(A) (formerly (c)(1)(A), redesignated by the PROTECT Act). This section prohibits making, printing, or publishing any notice or advertisement seeking to receive, exchange, buy, produce, display, distribute, or reproduce, any visual depiction if the production of the visual depiction involves the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and the visual depiction is of such conduct. Currently, these offenses are referenced to § 2G2.2 instead of § 2G2.1 (Sexually Exploiting a Minor by Production of Sexually Explicit Visual or Printed Material; Custodian Permitting Minor to Engage in Sexually Explicit Conduct; Advertisement for Minors to Engage in Production) because they are more like trafficking offenses than production offenses. However, the PROTECT Act increases the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment for these offenses from 10 to 15 years. Therefore, these offenses are proposed to be referenced to the production guideline, § 2G2.1. Subpart D of the proposed amendment increases the base offense level in § 2G2.1 to level [30][32][34][35][36] to reflect the increased mandatory minimum term of imprisonment.

In response to comments from CEOS, calls to the Helpline, and issues identified through case law regarding inconsistencies in the application of the use of a computer enhancement at § 2G2.2(b)(5), the amendment proposes to broaden the enhancement in two ways. First, the amendment proposes to expand the enhancement to include “interactive computer devices” (
e.g.
, Internet access devices), as defined in 47 U.S.C. 230(f)(2). Currently, § 2G2.2(b)(5) provides an enhancement if only a computer was used for “the transmission, receipt or distribution” of the pornographic material, in contrast to similar enhancements in other pornography or sexual abuse guidelines that provide an enhancement for the use of a “computer or Internet-access device”. (See
United States
v.
Albright,
67 Fed. Appx. 751 (3d Cir. 2003)(unpub.) (use of a WebTV device used to access the Internet is not a computer for purposes of the enhancement)). Use of the term “interactive computer device” may be preferable to “Internet access device” in the applicable guidelines because it is statutorily defined. Conforming changes are proposed for §§ 2G1.1 (Promoting a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct), proposed 2G1.3 (Promoting a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct with a Minor; Transportation of Minors to Engage in a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct; Travel to Engage in Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct with a Minor; Use of Interstate Facilities to Transport Information about a Minor), 2G2.1 (Sexually Exploiting a Minor by Production of Sexually Explicit Visual or Printed Material; Custodian Permitting Minor to Engage in Sexually Explicit Conduct; Advertisement for Minors to Engage in Production), 2G2.4 (Possession of Materials Depicting a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct), 2A3.2 (Criminal Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under the Age of Sixteen Years (Statutory Rape) or Attempt to Commit Such Acts), 2A3.3 (Criminal Sexual Abuse of a Ward or Attempt to Commit Such Acts), and 2A3.4 (Abusive Sexual Contact or Attempt to Commit Abusive Sexual Contact). Second, the amendment proposes to broaden the enhancement to apply to offenses in which the computer (or an interactive computer service) was used for the possession of pornographic material. Currently, the enhancement provides a two-level increase if only a computer was used for “the transmission, receipt, or distribution” of the pornographic material.

Finally, in response to CEOS comments, calls to the Helpline, and issues identified through training, this proposal makes the following minor changes to the commentary to § 2G2.2:

(1) Provides a definition of “computer”.

(2) Makes clear that the definition of “minor” includes (A) an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years; (B) an individual, whether fictitious or not, who a law enforcement officer represents to a participant (i) had not attained the age of 18 years, and (ii) could be provided to a participant for the purposes of engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and (C) an undercover law enforcement officer who represented to a participant that the officer had not attained the age of 18 years.

(3) Provides a definition of “image” for purposes of applying the enhancement at § 2G2.2(b)(6).

(4) Makes clear that “distribution” includes posting material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor on a website for public viewing but does not include soliciting such material.

B. Simple Possession Offenses Under § 2G2.4

The PROTECT Act raised the statutory maximum term of imprisonment for simple possession offenses from five to ten years. As a result, this proposed amendment includes an option for increasing the base offense level from level 15 to level [18][20]. An increase in the base offense level also may be justified to maintain proportionality with the child pornography trafficking guideline because of a proposed increase in the base offense level at § 2G2.2 for trafficking and receipt cases (see subpart A of this amendment).

In response to comments from CEOS, the proposed amendment addresses a recent Seventh Circuit decision in
United States
v.
Sromalski,
318 F.3d 748 (7th Cir. 2003), regarding the cross reference at § 2G2.4(c)(2). Currently, the

cross reference requires application of § 2G2.2 if the offense “involved trafficking in material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor (including receiving, transporting, shipping, advertising, or possessing material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor with intent to traffic)”. In
Sromalski,
the appellate court found that in cases involving possession of child pornography where receipt can be shown, the cross reference at § 2G2.4(c)(2) applies only if the receipt involved the intent to traffic. Thus, under the Seventh Circuit's interpretation of the guidelines, convictions for receipt of child pornography (which do not require proof of an intent to traffic) are sentenced under § 2G2.2, but convictions for possession of child pornography, even where receipt can be shown, are sentenced under § 2G2.4 unless there is proof of receipt with an intent to traffic. The proposed amendment provides an option that clarifies that the cross reference should be applied without regard to whether or not there was offense conduct that involved receipt with an intent to traffic.

In addition, the proposed amendment makes the following clarifying and conforming changes to § 2G2.4 in response to changes made to § 2G2.2:

(1) Expands use of a computer enhancement at § 2G2.4(b)(3) to include “interactive computer services”.

(2) Provides a definition of “computer”.

(3) Provides a definition of “image” for purposes of applying the enhancement at § 2G2.4(b)(5).

(4) Makes clear that, for purposes of the cross reference at § 2G2.4(c)(1), the definition of “minor” includes (A) an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years; (B) an individual, whether fictitious or not, who a law enforcement officer represented to a participant (i) had not attained the age of 18 years, and (ii) could be provided for the purposes of engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and (C) an undercover law enforcement officer who represented to a participant that the officer had not attained the age of 18 years.

C. Consolidation of §§ 2G2.2 and 2G2.4

This part of the proposed amendment consolidates §§ 2G2.2 (Trafficking in Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor; Receiving, Transporting, Shipping, or Advertising Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor; Possessing Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor with Intent to Traffic), and 2G2.4 (Possession of Materials Depicting a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct, into one guideline, § 2G2.2 (Trafficking in Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor; Receiving, Transporting, Shipping, or Advertising Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor; Possessing Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor with Intent to Traffic; Possession of Materials Depicting a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct). Consolidation addresses concerns raised over several years by probation officers, judges, and practitioners regarding difficulties in determining the appropriate guideline (§ 2G2.2 or § 2G2.4) for cases involving convictions of 18 U.S.C. 2252 or § 2252A. Furthermore, as a result of amendments directed by the PROTECT Act, these guidelines have a number of similar specific offense characteristics.

This proposed consolidation provides two options for the base offense level. Option One provides alternative base offense levels of (1) level [15][18][20] if (A) the conduct was limited to the possession, receipt, or solicitation of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor; and (B) the defendant did not intend to traffic in, or distribute, such material; (2) level [22][24][26] for all other offenses. Option Two provides three alternative base offense levels of (1) level [15][18][20] if the defendant's conduct was limited to the possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor without an intent to traffic in, or distribute, such material; (2) level [20][22][24] if (A) the defendant's conduct was limited to the receipt or solicitation of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor; and (3) level [22][24][25][26] for all other offenses sentenced at this guideline. The proposed consolidation would subject § 2G2.4 cases to enhancements if the offense involved distribution or if the defendant engaged in a pattern of activity involving the sexual abuse or exploitation of a minor. Currently, these enhancements do not exist in § 2G2.4

D. Production Offenses Under § 2G2.1

Section 103 of the PROTECT Act increases the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment from 10 to 15 years for offenses related to production of child pornography under 18 U.S.C. 2251. This section also increases the statutory maximum term of imprisonment for these offenses from 20 to 30 years. As a result, this proposed amendment increases the base offense level in § 2G2.1 from level 27 to level [30][32][34][35][36] to reflect the new 15 year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment. Furthermore, the proposed amendment adds a number of enhancements that may be associated with the production of child pornography. The addition of these enhancements also helps to maintain the proportionality between these offenses and offenses covered under § 2G2.2. The proposed enhancements increase the offense level if the offense involved any of the following: (1) Material that portrays sadistic or masochistic conduct; (2) the commission of a sexual act or sexual contact; (3) conduct described in 18 U.S.C. 2241(a) or (b); and (4) distribution.

The proposed amendment also adds to the commentary of § 2G2.1 definitions of “sexual act”, “sexual contact”, “sexually explicit conduct”, “computer”, “interactive computer service”, “minor”, and “distribution”.

II. Travel and Transportation Cases

This proposed amendment creates a new guideline, § 2G1.3 (Promoting a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct with a Minor; Transportation of Minors to Engage in a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct; Travel to Engage in Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct with a Minor; Use of Interstate Facilities to Transport Information about a Minor), to specifically address offenses under Chapter 117 of title 18, United States Code (Transportation for Illegal Sexual Activity and Related Crimes). Currently, Chapter 117 offenses, primarily 18 U.S.C. 2422 (coercion and enticement) and 2423 (transportation of minors), are referenced by Appendix A to either § 2G1.1 or § 2A3.2. Offenses under 18 U.S.C. 2422 and 2423(a) (transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity) are referenced to § 2G1.1 (Promoting A Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct) but are cross referenced from § 2G1.1 to § 2A3.2 (Statutory Rape) to account for underlying behavior. Application of this cross reference has led to confusion among courts and practitioners. Offenses under 18 U.S.C. 2423(b) (travel with intent to engage in sexual act with a juvenile) are referenced to § 2A3.1, § 2A3.2, or § 2A3.3, but most are sentenced at § 2A3.2. Until recently, the majority of cases sentenced under § 2A3.2 were statutory rape cases that occurred on Federal property (
e.g.
military bases) or Native American lands. In fiscal years 2001 and 2002, the majority of cases sentenced under the statutory rape guideline were coercion, travel, and transportation offenses.

Creating a new guideline for these cases is intended to address more appropriately the issues specific to these offenses. In addition, the removal of these cases from § 2A3.2 will permit the Commission more appropriately to tailor the guideline to statutory rape cases.

Currently, § 2A3.2 provides alternative base offense levels of (1) level 24 for a Chapter 117 violation with a sexual act, (2) level 21 for a Chapter 117 violation with no sexual act (
e.g.
, a sting case), or (3) level 18 for statutory rape with no travel. The PROTECT Act created a five year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment for 18 U.S.C. 2422 and 2423(a) and increased the statutory maximum term of imprisonment for these offenses from 15 to 30 years. However, the PROTECT Act did not increase the penalties for offenses under 18 U.S.C. 2243 (sexual abuse of a minor), which prohibits statutory rape.

The proposed guideline provides a base offense level of level [22][24][25][26] to account for the new mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment as required by the PROTECT Act. The guideline proposes a number of enhancements, including enhancements for offenses involving victims under the age of 12 years, commission of a sexual act, use of force, use of a computer, misrepresentation of identity, and custody issues. The proposed amendment also provides two options for a specific offense characteristic to address the conduct from 18 U.S.C. 2423(d), a new offense created by the PROTECT Act. Offenses under 18 U.S.C. 2423(d) prohibit a person, for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain, from arranging, inducing, procuring, or facilitating the travel of a person knowing that such a person is traveling in interstate commerce or foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in an illicit sexual act. The maximum term of imprisonment for an offense under 18 U.S.C. 2423(d) is 30 years.

The proposed amendment also makes conforming changes to § 2G1.1 (Promoting A Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct).

In addition, an issue for comment regarding which guideline is the most appropriate for violations of 18 U.S.C. 2425, use of interstate facilities to transport information about a minor, follows the proposed amendments.

III. Misleading Domain Names

Section 521 of the PROTECT Act creates a new offense at 18 U.S.C. 2252B (misleading domain names on the Internet). Section 2252B of title 18, United States Code, prohibits the knowing use of a misleading domain name on the Internet with the intent to deceive a person into viewing material constituting obscenity, and offenses under this statute are punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, or if the misleading domain name was intended to deceive a minor into viewing material that is harmful to minors, a maximum term of imprisonment of four years. The proposed amendment refers the new offense to § 2G3.1 (Importing, Mailing, or Transporting Obscene Matter; Transferring Obscene Matter to a Minor), modifies the title of the guideline to include “Misleading Domain Names”, and provides a two-level enhancement if “the offense involved the use of a misleading domain name on the Internet with the intent to deceive a [minor][person] into viewing material on the Internet that is harmful to minors.” In addition, the proposed amendment also provides enhancements for the following: (1) Distribution to a minor that was intended to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce a minor to engage in any illegal activity; (2) use of a computer or interactive computer service; and (3) material that was advertised or described to include minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Finally, the proposed amendment adds § 2G3.1 to the list of guidelines at subsection (d) of § 3D1.2 (Groups of Closely Related Counts). Grouping multiple counts of these offenses pursuant to § 3D1.2(d) is appropriate because typically these offenses, as well as other pornography distribution offenses, are continuous and ongoing in nature. The proposal makes other minor technical changes to the Commentary to make this guideline consistent with other Chapter Two, Part G guidelines.

IV. Conditions of Supervised Release

In response to a circuit conflict, this amendment proposes amending §§ 5B1.3 (Conditions of Probation) and 5D1.3 (Conditions of Supervised Release) to add a condition “limiting [or prohibiting] the use of a computer or an interactive computer service” in cases in which the [defendant used][the offense involved the use of] such items. The circuit courts have disagreed over imposition of restrictive computer use and Internet-access conditions. Some circuit courts have refused to allow complete restrictions on computer use and Internet access (see
United States
v.
Sofsky,
287 F.3d 122 (2nd Cir. 2002) (invalidating restrictions on computer use and Internet use);
United States
v.
Freeman,
316 F.3d 386 (3d Cir. 2003) (same)), but some circuit courts have upheld restrictions on computer use and Internet access with probation officer permission (see
United States
v.
Fields,
324 F.3d 1025 (8th Cir. 2003) (upholding condition prohibiting defendant from having Internet service in his home and allowing possessing of a computer only if granted permission by his probation officer);
United States
v.
Walser,
275 F.3d 981 (10th Cir. 2001) (prohibiting Internet use but allowing Internet use with probation officer's permission);
United States
v.
Zinn,
321 F.3d 1084 (11th Cir. 2003) (same)). Other courts have permitted a complete ban on a convicted sex offender's Internet use while on supervised release. (See
United States
v.
Paul,
274 F.3d 155 (5th Cir. 2001) (upholding complete ban of Internet use)).

In addition, this proposed amendment amends § 5D1.2 (Term of Supervised Release) to make the guideline consistent with changes provided in the PROTECT Act to the applicable terms of supervised release under 18 U.S.C. 3583 for sex offenders.

V. Chapter Two, Part A, Subpart 3 (Criminal Sexual Abuse) Amendments

Section 401(i)(2) of the PROTECT Act directs the Commission to “amend the Sentencing Guidelines to ensure that the Guidelines adequately reflect the seriousness of the offenses” under sections 2243(b) (sexual abuse of a ward), 2244(a)(4) (sexual contact), and 2244(b) (sexual contact with a person without that person's permission) of title 18, United States Code. This amendment proposes several amendments to the guidelines in Chapter Two, Part A (Criminal Sexual Abuse) to address the directive and to account for proportionality issues created by the increases in the Chapter Two, Part G guidelines. In addition, the amendment makes changes to the Commentary to make the definitions in these guidelines consistent with the definitions in the pornography guidelines.

An issue for comment regarding proportionality issues and implementation of the directive follows the proposed amendments.

Proposed Amendment:

I. Child Pornography Offenses

A. Trafficking Offenses Under § 2G2.2

Proposed Amendment: Section 2G2.2 is amended in the heading by inserting “Soliciting,” after “Shipping,”.

[Option 1:

Section 2G2.2(a) is amended by striking “17” and inserting “[22][24][25][26]”.]

[Option 2:

Section 2G2.2 is amended by striking subsection (a) in its entirety and inserting the following:

“(a) Base Offense Level:

(1) [20][22][24], if (A) the defendant's conduct was limited to the receipt or solicitation of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor; and (B) the defendant did not intend to traffic in, or distribute, such material; or

(2) [22][24][25][26], otherwise.”.]

[Section 2G2.2(b)(2) is amended by striking “If the offense involved” and inserting “If the defendant's conduct involved”];

by redesignating subdivisions (D) and (E) as subdivisions (E) and (F), respectively; and by inserting after subdivision (C) the following new subdivision (D):

“(D) Distribution to a minor that was intended to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce the minor to engage in any illegal activity, increase by 6 levels.”;

in subdivision (F), as redesignated by this amendment, by striking “(D)” and inserting “(E)”.

Section 2G2.2(b)(5) is amended by inserting “or an interactive computer service” before “was used”; and by inserting [“possession,”] before “transmission,”.

The Commentary to § 2G2.2 captioned “Statutory Provisions” is amended by striking “2251(c)(1)(A), 2252(a)(1)-(3), 2260” and inserting “[1466A(a),] 2252(a)(1)-(3), 2252A(a)(1)(4), (6), 2260(b)”.

The Commentary to § 2G2.2 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 1 by striking:

“For purposes of this guideline—

‘Distribution’ means any act, including production, transportation, and possession with intent to distribute, related to the transfer of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor.”

and inserting:

“Definitions.—For purposes of this guideline:

‘Computer’—has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 1030(e)(1).

‘Image’ means any visual depiction described in 18 U.S.C. 2256(5) and (8).

‘Interactive computer service’ has the meaning given that term in section 230(e)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(f)(2)).

‘Distribution’ means any act, including production, transportation, and possession with intent to distribute, related to the transfer of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor. Accordingly, distribution includes posting material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor on a website for public viewing, but does not include the mere solicitation of such material by a defendant.”;

by striking “‘Minor’ means an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years.” and inserting the following:

“‘Minor’ means (A) an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years; (B) an individual, whether fictitious or not, who a law enforcement officer represented to a participant (i) had not attained the age of 18 years, and (ii) could be provided for the purposes of engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and (C) an undercover law enforcement officer who represented to a participant that the officer had not attained the age of 18 years.”;

and in the paragraph that begins “ ‘Pattern of activity” by striking “victims” and inserting “minors”.

The Commentary to § 2G2.2 captioned “Application Notes” is amended by redesignating Notes 2 and 3 as Notes 3 and 4, respectively; and by inserting after Note 1 the following new Note 2:

“2. Application of Subsection (b)(4).—Prior convictions taken into account under subsection (b)(4) are also counted for purposes of determining criminal history points pursuant to Chapter Four, Part A (Criminal History).”.

The Commentary to § 2G2.2 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in the first paragraph of Note 3, as redesignated by this amendment, by inserting “Upward Departure Provision.—” before “If the defendant”; and by striking “Prior convictions” and all that follows through “(Criminal History).”.

The Commentary to § 2G2.2 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 4, as redesignated by this amendment, by inserting “Cross Reference at Subsection (c)(1).—” before “The cross reference”.

B. Simple Possession Offenses Under § 2G2.4

Section 2G2.4(a) is amended by striking “15” and inserting “[18][20]”.

Section 2G2.4(b) is amended [by striking subdivision (2) in its entirety;] by striking subdivision (3) in its entirety; by redesignating subdivisions (4) and (5) as subdivisions (3) and (4), respectively; and by inserting after subdivision (1) the following new subdivision (2):

“(2) If the [defendant's possession of the material resulted from the defendant's][offense involved the] use of a computer or an interactive computer service, increase by 2 levels.”.

Section 2G2.4(c)(2) is amended by striking “(including receiving, transporting, shipping, advertising, or possessing material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor with intent to traffic)” and inserting “including (A) receiving material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor [with intent to traffic]; (B) transporting, shipping, or advertising material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor; or (C) possessing with intent to traffic material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor”.

The Commentary to § 2G2.4 captioned “Statutory Provision” is amended by striking “Provision: 18 U.S.C. 2252(a)(4)” and inserting “Provisions: 18 U.S.C. 1466A(b), 2252(a)(4), 2252A(a)(5)”.

The Commentary to § 2G2.4 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 1 by striking:

“For purposes of this guideline—” and inserting:

“Definitions.—For purposes of this guideline:

‘Computer’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 1030(e)(1).

‘Image’ means any visual depiction described in 18 U.S.C. 2256(5) and (8).

‘Interactive computer service’ has the meaning given that term in section 230(e)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(f)(2)).”.

[The Commentary to § 2G2.4 captioned “Application Notes” is amended by striking Note 2 in its entirety.]

The Commentary to § 2G2.4 captioned “Application Notes” is amended by adding at the end the following:

“2. Cross Reference at Subsection (c)(1).—For purposes of subsection (c)(1), “minor” includes (A) an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years; (B) an individual, whether fictitious or not, who a law enforcement officer represented to a participant (i) had not attained the age of 18 years, and (ii) could be provided for the purposes of engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and (C) an undercover law enforcement officer who represented to a participant that the officer had not attained the age of 18 years.

3. Upward Departure Provision.—If the offense involved substantially more than 600 images, an upward departure may be warranted, regardless of whether subsection (b)(5) applies.”.

Appendix A (Statutory Index) is amended by inserting after the line referenced to 18 U.S.C. 1466 the following new lines:

“18 U.S.C. 1466A(a) 2G2.2

18 U.S.C. 1466A(b) 2G2.4”;

by striking the following:

18 U.S.C. 2252 2G2.2, 2G2.4

18 U.S.C. 2252A 2G2.2, 2G2.4”,

and inserting the following:

“18 U.S.C. 2252 (a)(1)-(3) 2G2.2

18 U.S.C. 2252(a)(4) 2G2.4

18 U.S.C. 2252A(a)(1)-(4), (6) 2G2.2

18 U.S.C. 2252A(a)(5) 2G2.4”;

and by striking the following:

“18 U.S.C. 2260 2G2.1, 2G2.2”,

and inserting the following:

“18 U.S.C. 2260(a) 2G2.1

18 U.S.C. 2260(b) 2G2.2”.

C. Consolidation of §§ 2G2.2 and 2G2.4

Chapter Two, Part G, Subpart 2, is amended by striking §§ 2G2.2 and 2G2.4 in their entirety and inserting the following new guideline and replacement commentary:

“§ 2G2.2. Trafficking in Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor; Receiving, Transporting, Shipping, Soliciting, or Advertising Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor; Possessing Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor With Intent To Traffic; Possessing Material Depicting a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct

(a) Base Offense Level

[Option 1: (1) [15][18][20], if (A) the defendant's conduct was limited to the possession, receipt, or solicitation of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor; and (B) the defendant did not intend to traffic in, or distribute, such material; or

(2) [22][24][25][26], otherwise.]

[Option 2:(a) (1) [15][18][20], if the defendant's conduct was limited to the possession of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor without an intent to traffic in, or distribute, such material;

(2) [20][22][24], if (A) the defendant's conduct was limited to the receipt or solicitation of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor; and (B) the defendant did not intend to traffic in, or distribute, such material; or

(3) [22][24][25][26], otherwise.]

(b) Specific Offense Characteristics

(1) If the material involved a prepubescent minor or a minor under the age of 12 years, increase by 2 levels.

(2) (Apply the Greatest) If the [defendant's conduct] [offense] involved:

(A) Distribution for pecuniary gain, increase by the number of levels from the table in § 2B1.1 (Theft, Property Destruction, and Fraud) corresponding to the retail value of the material, but by not less than 5 levels.

(B) Distribution for the receipt, or expectation of receipt, of a thing of value, but not for pecuniary gain, increase by 5 levels.

(C) Distribution to a minor, increase by 5 levels.

(D) Distribution to a minor that was intended to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce the minor to engage in any illegal activity, increase by 6 levels.

(E) Distribution to a minor that was intended to persuade, induce, entice, coerce, or facilitate the travel of, the minor to engage in prohibited sexual conduct, increase by 7 levels.

(F) Distribution other than distribution described in subdivisions (A) through (E), increase by 2 levels.

(3) If the offense involved material that portrays sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence, increase by 4 levels.

(4) If the defendant engaged in a pattern of activity involving the sexual abuse or exploitation of a minor, increase by 5 levels.

(5) If a computer or an interactive computer service was used for the possession, transmission, receipt, or distribution of the material or a notice or advertisement of the material, increase by 2 levels.

(6) If the offense involved—

(A) at least 10 images, but fewer than 150, increase by 2 levels;

(B) at least 150 images, but fewer than 300, increase by 3 levels;

(C) at least 300 images, but fewer than 600, increase by 4 levels; and

(D) 600 or more images, increase by 5 levels.

(c) Cross Reference

(1) If the offense involved causing, transporting, permitting, or offering or seeking by notice or advertisement, a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, apply § 2G2.1 (Sexually Exploiting a Minor by Production of Sexually Explicit Visual or Printed Material; Custodian Permitting Minor to Engage in Sexually Explicit Conduct; Advertisement for Minors to Engage in Production), if the resulting offense level is greater than that determined above.

Commentary

Statutory Provisions:
18 U.S.C. 1466A, 2252, 2252A, 2260(b).

Application Notes:

1. Definitions.—For purposes of this guideline:

‘Computer’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 1030(e)(1).

‘Image’ means any visual depiction described in 18 U.S.C. 2256(5) and (8).

‘Interactive computer service’ has the meaning given that term in 230(e)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(f)(2)).

‘Distribution’ means any act, including production, transportation, and possession with intent to distribute, related to the transfer of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor. Accordingly, distribution includes posting material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor on a website for public viewing but does not include the mere solicitation of such material by a defendant.

‘Distribution for pecuniary gain” means distribution for profit.

‘Distribution for the receipt, or expectation of receipt, of a thing of value, but not for pecuniary gain’ means any transaction, including bartering or other in-kind transaction, that is conducted for a thing of value, but not for profit. ‘Thing of value’ means anything of valuable consideration. For example, in a case involving the bartering of child pornographic material, the ‘thing of value’ is the child pornographic material received in exchange for other child pornographic material bartered in consideration for the material received.

‘Distribution to a minor’ means the knowing distribution to an individual who is a minor at the time of the offense, knowing or believing the individual is a minor at that time.

‘Minor’ means (A) an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years; (B) an individual, whether fictitious or not, who a law enforcement officer represented to a participant (i) had not attained the age of 18 years, and (ii) could be provided for the purposes of engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and (C) an undercover law enforcement officer who represented to a participant that the officer had not attained the age of 18 years.

‘Pattern of activity involving the sexual abuse or exploitation of a minor’ means any combination of two or more separate instances of the sexual abuse or sexual exploitation of a minor by the defendant, whether or not the abuse or exploitation (A) occurred during the course of the offense; (B) involved the same minor; or (C) resulted in a conviction for such conduct.

‘Prohibited sexual conduct’ has the meaning given that term in Application Note 1 of the Commentary to § 2A3.1 (Criminal Sexual Abuse; Attempt to Commit Criminal Sexual Abuse).

‘Sexual abuse or exploitation’ means conduct constituting criminal sexual abuse of a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor, abusive sexual contact of a minor, any similar offense under state law, or an attempt or conspiracy to commit any of the above offenses. “Sexual abuse or exploitation’ does not include trafficking in material relating to the sexual abuse or exploitation of a minor.

‘Sexually explicit conduct’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 2256.

2. Application of Subsection (b)(4).—Prior convictions taken into account under subsection (b)(4) are also counted for purposes of determining criminal history points pursuant to Chapter Four, Part A (Criminal History).

3. Upward Departure Provision.—If the defendant engaged in the sexual abuse or exploitation of a minor at any time (whether or not such abuse or exploitation occurred during the course of the offense or resulted in a conviction for such conduct) and subsection (b)(4) does not apply, an upward departure may be warranted. In addition, an upward departure may be warranted if the defendant received an enhancement under subsection (b)(4) but that enhancement does not adequately reflect the seriousness of the sexual abuse or exploitation involved.

4. Cross Reference at Subsection (c)(1).—The cross reference in subsection (c)(1) is to be construed broadly to include all instances where the offense involved employing, using, persuading, inducing, enticing, coercing, transporting, permitting, or offering or seeking by notice or advertisement, a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct.

Background: Section 401(i)(1)(C) of Public Law 108-21 directly amended subsection (b) to add subdivision (6), effective April 30, 2003.’.

D. Production Offenses Under § 2G2.1

Section 2G2.1(a) is amended by striking “27” and inserting “[30][32][34][35][36]”.

Section 2G2.1(b) is amended in subdivision (1) by striking “victim” and inserting “minor”; by redesignating subdivisions (2) and (3) as subdivisions (6) and (7), respectively; and by inserting after subdivision (1) the following:

‘(2) If the offense involved material that portrays sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence, increase by [2][4] levels.

(3) If the offense involved the commission of a sexual act or sexual contact, increase by 2 levels.

(4) If the offense involved conduct described in 18 U.S.C. § 2241(a) or (b), increase by [2][4] levels.

(5) If the offense involved distribution, increase by [2][5][7] levels.”.

Section 2G2.1(b) is amended in subdivision (7), as redesignated by this amendment, by striking “Internet-access device” and inserting “interactive computer service”.

Section 2G2.1 is amended by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and by inserting after subsection (b) the following:

“(c) Cross reference

(1) If the victim was killed in circumstances that would constitute murder under 18 U.S.C. 1111 had such killing taken place within the territorial or maritime jurisdiction of the United States, apply § 2A1.1 (First Degree Murder), if the resulting offense level is greater than that determined above.”.

The Commentary to § 2G2.1 captioned “Statutory Provisions” is amended by striking “(a), (b), (c)(1)(B)”.

The Commentary to § 2G2.1 captioned “Application Notes” is amended by striking Notes 1, 2, 3, and 4 in their entirety and inserting the following:

“1. Definitions.—For purposes of this guideline:

‘Conduct described in 18 U.S.C. 2241(a) or (b)’ is: Using force against the minor; threatening or placing the minor in fear that any person will be subject to death, serious bodily injury, or kidnapping; rendering the minor unconscious; or administering by force or threat of force, or without the knowledge or permission of the minor, a drug, intoxicant, or other similar substance and thereby substantially impairing the ability of the minor to appraise or control conduct. This provision would apply, for example, if any dangerous weapon was used or brandished, or in a case in which the ability of the minor to appraise or control conduct was substantially impaired by drugs or alcohol.

‘Computer’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 1030(e)(1).

‘Distribution’ means any act, including production, transportation, and possession with intent to distribute, related to the transfer of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor. Accordingly, distribution includes posting material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor on a website for public viewing but does not include the mere solicitation of such material by a defendant.

‘Interactive computer service’ has the meaning given that term in section 230(e)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(f)(2)).

‘Minor’ means (A) an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years; (B) an individual, whether fictitious or not, who a law enforcement officer represented to a participant (i) had not attained the age of 18 years, and (ii) could be provided for the purposes of engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and (C) an undercover law enforcement officer who represented to a participant that the officer had not attained the age of 18 years.

‘Sexual act’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 2246(2).

‘Sexual contact’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 2246(3).

‘Sexually explicit conduct’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 2256.

2. Custody, Care, or Supervisory Control Enhancement.—

(A) In General.—Subsection (b)(6) is intended to have broad application and includes offenses involving a minor entrusted to the defendant, whether temporarily or permanently. For example, teachers, day care providers, baby-sitters, or other temporary caretakers are among those who would be subject to this enhancement. In determining whether to apply this adjustment, the court should look to the actual relationship that existed between the defendant and the child and not simply to the legal status of the defendant-child relationship.

(B) Inapplicability of Enhancement.—If the adjustment in subsection (b)(6) applies, do not apply § 3B1.3 (Abuse of Position of Trust or Use of Special Skill).”;

by redesignating Note 5 as Note 3; by inserting after Note 3, as redesignated by this amendment, the following:

“4. Special Instruction at Subsection (d)(1).—For the purposes of Chapter Three, Part D (Multiple Counts), each minor exploited is to be treated as a separate minor. Consequently, multiple counts involving the exploitation of different minors are not to be grouped together under § 3D1.2 (Groups of Closely Related Counts). Subsection (d)(1) directs that if the relevant conduct of an offense of conviction includes more than one minor being exploited, whether specifically cited in the count of conviction or not, each such minor shall be treated as if contained in a separate count of conviction.”;

and by redesignating Note 6 as Note 5.

The Commentary to § 2G2.1 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 3, as redesignated by this amendment, by inserting before “The enhancement in subsection” the following:

“Application of Subsection (b)(7)(A).—

(A) Misrepresentation of Participant's Identity.—

by striking “(3)(A)” each place it appears and inserting “(7)(A)”; by striking “Subsection (b)(3)(B)(i) provides” and inserting:

“(B) Use of a Computer or an Interactive Computer Service.—

Subsection (b)(7)(b)(i) provides”;

by striking “(b)(3)(B)(i) is intended” and inserting “(b)(7)(B)(i) is intended”; and

by striking “Internet-access device” each place it appears and inserting “interactive computer service”.

The Commentary to § 2G2.1 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 5, as redesignated by this amendment, by striking “victims” and inserting “minors”.

II. Travel and Transportation Cases

Chapter Two, Part G, Subpart 1 is amended by adding at the end the following new guideline and accompanying commentary:

“§ 2G1.3 Promoting a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct With a Minor; Transportation of Minors To Engage in a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct; Travel To Engage in Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct With a Minor; Use of Interstate Facilities To Transport Information About a Minor

(a) Base Offense Level: [22][24][25][26]

(b) Specific Offense Characteristics

(1) If the offense involved a sexual act or sexual contact, increase by 2 levels.

(2) If the offense involved conduct described in 18 U.S.C. § 2241(a) or (b), increase by 4 levels.

[Option 1A: (3) If the offense involved a minor who had not attained the age of 12 years, increase by [4][6][8] levels.]

(4) If (A) the minor sustained permanent or life-threatening bodily injury, increase by 4 levels; (B) the minor sustained serious bodily injury, increase by 2 levels; or (C) the degree of injury is between that specified in subdivisions (A) and (B), increase by 3 levels.

(5) If the defendant was a parent, relative, or legal guardian of the minor; or the minor was otherwise in the custody, care, or supervisory control of the defendant, increase by 2 levels.

(6) If the offense involved the knowing misrepresentation of a participant's identity to persuade, induce, entice, coerce, or facilitate the travel of the minor to engage in a commercial sex act or prohibited sexual conduct, increase by 2 levels.

(7) If [the defendant used][the offense involved the use of] a computer or an interactive computer service to (A) persuade, induce, entice, coerce, or facilitate the travel of, the minor to engage in a commercial sex act or prohibited sexual conduct; or (B) entice, encourage, offer, or solicit a person to engage in a commercial sex act or prohibited sexual conduct with the minor, increase by 2 levels.

[Option 2A: (8) If, for the purposes of commercial advantage or private financial gain, the defendant knowingly arranged, induced, procured, or facilitated the travel of a participant knowing that the participant was traveling for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct, increase by [2] levels.]

[Option 2B: (8) If the offense involved conduct described in 18 U.S.C. 2423(d), increase by [2] levels.]

(c) Cross Reference

(1) If the offense involved causing, transporting, permitting, or offering or seeking by notice or advertisement, a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, apply § 2G2.1 (Sexually Exploiting a Minor by Production of Sexually Explicit Visual or Printed Material; Custodian Permitting Minor to Engage in Sexually Explicit Conduct; Advertisement for Minors to Engage in Production), if the resulting offense level is greater than that determined above.

(2) If a minor was killed under circumstances that would constitute murder under 18 U.S.C. 1111 had such killing taken place within the territorial or maritime jurisdiction of the United States, apply § 2A1.1 (First Degree Murder), if the resulting offense level is greater than that determined above.

[Option 1B: (3) If the offense involved criminal sexual abuse, attempted criminal sexual abuse, or assault with intent to commit criminal sexual abuse, apply § 2A3.1 (Criminal Sexual Abuse; Attempt to Commit Criminal Sexual Abuse), if the resulting offense level is greater than that determined above. If the offense involved criminal sexual abuse of a minor who had not attained the age of 12 years, § 2A3.1 shall apply, regardless of the ‘consent’ of the minor.]

(d) Special Instruction

(1) If the offense involved more than one victim, Chapter Three, Part D (Multiple Counts) shall be applied as if the travel or transportation to engage in a commercial sex act or prohibited sexual conduct in respect to each victim had been contained in a separate count of conviction.

Commentary

Statutory Provisions:
8 U.S.C. 1328 (only if the offense involved a victim who had not attained the age of 18 years at the time of the commission of the offense); 18 U.S.C. 1591 (only if the offense involved a victim who had not attained the age of 18 years at the time of the commission of the offense), 2421 (only if the offense involved a victim who had not attained the age of 18 years at the time of the commission of the offense), 2422 (only if the offense involved a victim who had not attained the age of 18 years at the time of the commission of the offense), 2422(b), 2423, [2425].

Application Notes:

1. Definitions.—For purposes of this guideline:

‘Commercial sex act’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 1591(c)(1).

‘Computer’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 1030(e)(1).

‘Interactive computer service’ has the meaning given that term in section 230(e)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(f)(2)).

‘Illicit sexual conduct’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 2423(f).

‘Minor’ means (A) an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years; (B) an individual, whether fictitious or not, who a law enforcement officer represented to a participant (i) had not attained the age of 18 years, and (ii) could be provided for the purposes of engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and (C) an undercover law enforcement officer who represented to a participant that the officer had not attained the age of 18 years.

‘Participant’ has the meaning given that term in Application Note 1 of § 3B1.1 (Aggravating Role).

‘Permanent or life-threatening bodily injury,’ ‘serious bodily injury,’ and ‘abducted’ have the meaning given those terms in the Commentary to § 1B1.1 (Application Instructions). However, for purposes of this guideline, ‘serious bodily injury’ means conduct other than criminal sexual abuse, which already is taken into account in the base offense level under subsection (a).

‘Prohibited sexual conduct’ has the meaning given that term in Application Note 1 of § 2A3.1 (Criminal Sexual Abuse; Attempt to Commit Criminal Sexual Abuse).

‘Sexual act’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 2246(2).

‘Sexual contact’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 2246(3).

2. Application of Subsection (b)(2).—‘Conduct described in 18 U.S.C. 2241(a) or (b)’ is: using force against the minor; threatening or placing the minor in fear that any person will be subject to death, serious bodily injury, or kidnapping; rendering the minor unconscious; or administering by force or threat of force, or without the knowledge or permission of the minor, a drug, intoxicant, or other similar substance and thereby substantially impairing the ability of the minor to appraise or control conduct. This provision would apply, for example, if any dangerous weapon was used or brandished, or in a case in which the ability of the minor to

appraise or control conduct was substantially impaired by drugs or alcohol.

3. Custody, Care, or Supervisory Control Enhancement.—

(A) In General.—Subsection (b)(5) is intended to have broad application and includes offenses involving a victim less than 18 years of age entrusted to the defendant, whether temporarily or permanently. For example, teachers, day care providers, baby-sitters, or other temporary caretakers are among those who would be subject to this enhancement. In determining whether to apply this enhancement, the court should look to the actual relationship that existed between the defendant and the victim and not simply to the legal status of the defendant-victim relationship.

(B) Inapplicability of Enhancement.—If the enhancement in subsection (b)(5) applies, do not apply § 3B1.3 (Abuse of Position of Trust or Use of Special Skill).

4. Misrepresentation of Participant's Identity.—The enhancement in subsection (b)(6) applies in cases involving the misrepresentation of a participant's identity to persuade, induce, entice, coerce, or facilitate the travel of, a minor to engage in a commercial sex act or prohibited sexual conduct. Subsection (b)(6) is intended to apply only to misrepresentations made directly to a minor or to a person who exercises custody, care, or supervisory control of the minor. Accordingly, the enhancement in subsection (b)(6) would not apply to a misrepresentation made by a participant to an airline representative in the course of making travel arrangements for the minor.

The misrepresentation to which the enhancement in subsection (b)(6) may apply includes misrepresentation of a participant's name, age, occupation, gender, or status, as long as the misrepresentation was made with the intent to persuade, induce, entice, coerce, or facilitate the travel of, a minor to engage in a commercial sex act or prohibited sexual conduct. Accordingly, use of a computer screen name, without such intent, would not be a sufficient basis for application of the enhancement.

5. Use of a Computer or an Interactive Computer Service.—Subsection (b)(7) is intended to apply only to the use of a computer or an interactive computer service to communicate directly with a minor or with a person who exercises custody, care, or supervisory control of the minor. Accordingly, the enhancement in subsection (b)(7) would not apply to the use of a computer or an interactive computer service to obtain airline tickets for the minor from an airline's Internet site.

6. Cross Reference.—The cross reference in subsection (c)(1) is to be construed broadly to include all instances in which the offense involved employing, using, persuading, inducing, enticing, coercing, transporting, permitting, or offering or seeking by notice or advertisement, a person less than 18 years of age to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct. For purposes of subsection (c)(1), ‘sexually explicit conduct’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. § 2256.

7. Special Instruction for Cases Involving Multiple Victims at Subsection (d)(1).—

(A) In General.—For the purposes of Chapter Three, Part D (Multiple Counts), each person transported, persuaded, induced, enticed, or coerced to engage in, or travel to engage in, a commercial sex act or prohibited sexual conduct is to be treated as a separate victim. Consequently, multiple counts involving more than one victim are not to be grouped together under § 3D1.2 (Groups of Closely-Related Counts). In addition, subsection (d)(1) directs that if the relevant conduct of an offense of conviction includes travel or transportation to engage in a commercial sex act or prohibited sexual conduct in respect to more than one victim, whether specifically cited in the count of conviction, each such victim shall be treated as if contained in a separate count of conviction.

(B) Definition of Victim.—For purposes of subsection (d)(1), a victim includes (A) an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years; or (B) an individual, whether fictitious or not, who a law enforcement officer represented to a participant (i) had not attained the age of 18 years, and (ii) could be provided for the purposes of engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and (C) an undercover law enforcement officer who represented to a participant that the officer had not attained the age of 18 years.

8. Aggravating Role.—For the purposes of § 3B1.1 (Aggravating Role), a minor, as defined in this guideline, is considered a participant only if that minor assisted in the promoting of a commercial sex act or prohibited sexual conduct in respect to another minor.

9. Upward Departure Provision.—An upward departure may be warranted if the offense involved more than ten victims.

Background: This guideline covers offenses under Chapter 117 of title 18, United States Code, involving transportation of a minor for illegal sexual activity through a variety of means.”.

Chapter Two, Part G, Subpart 1 is amended by striking § 2G1.1 and accompanying commentary in its entirety and inserting the following new guideline:

§ 2G1.1. Promoting a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct With an Individual Other Than a Minor

(a) Base Offense Level: 14

(b) Specific Offense Characteristic

(1) If the offense involved the use of physical force, fraud, or coercion, increase by 4 levels.

(c) Cross Reference

(1) If the offense involved criminal sexual abuse, attempted criminal sexual abuse, or assault with intent to commit criminal sexual abuse, apply § 2A3.1 (Criminal Sexual Abuse; Attempt to Commit Criminal Sexual Abuse).

(d) Special Instruction

(1) If the offense involved more than one victim, Chapter Three, Part D (Multiple Counts) shall be applied as if the promoting of a commercial sex act or prohibited sexual conduct in respect to each victim had been contained in a separate count of conviction.

Commentary

Statutory Provisions:
8 U.S.C. 1328 (only if the offense involved a victim who had attained the age of 18 years at the time of the commission of the offense); 18 U.S.C. 1591 (only if the offense involved a victim who had attained the age of 18 years at the time of the commission of the offense), 2421 (only if the offense involved a victim who had attained the age of 18 years at the time of the commission of the offense), 2422(a) (only if the offense involved a victim who had attained the age of 18 years at the time of the commission of the offense).

Application Notes:

1. Definitions.—For purposes of this guideline:

‘Commercial sex act’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 1591(c)(1).

‘Prohibited sexual conduct’ has the meaning given that term in Application Note 1 of § 2A3.1 (Criminal Sexual Abuse; Attempt to Commit Criminal Sexual Abuse).

‘Promoting a commercial sex act’ means persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing a person to engage in a commercial sex act, or to travel to engage in, a commercial sex act.

‘Victim’ means a person transported, persuaded, induced, enticed, or coerced

to engage in, or travel for the purpose of engaging in, a commercial sex act or prohibited sexual conduct, whether or not the person consented to the commercial sex act or prohibited sexual conduct. Accordingly, ‘victim’ may include an undercover law enforcement officer.

2. Application of Subsection (b)(1).—Subsection (b)(1) provides an enhancement for physical force, fraud, or coercion, that occurs as part of a commercial sex act offense and anticipates no bodily injury. If bodily injury results, an upward departure may be warranted. See Chapter Five, Part K (Departures). For purposes of subsection (b)(1)(B), ‘coercion’ includes any form of conduct that negates the voluntariness of the behavior of the victim. This enhancement would apply, for example, in a case in which the ability of the victim to appraise or control conduct was substantially impaired by drugs or alcohol. This characteristic generally will not apply if the drug or alcohol was voluntarily taken.

3. Application of Aggravating Role Enhancement.—For the purposes of § 3B1.1 (Aggravating Role), a victim, as defined in this guideline, is considered a participant only if that victim assisted in the promoting of a commercial sex act or prohibited sexual conduct in respect to another victim.

4. Special Instruction at Subsection (d)(1).—For the purposes of Chapter Three, Part D (Multiple Counts), each person transported, persuaded, induced, enticed, or coerced to engage in, or travel to engage in, a commercial sex act or prohibited sexual conduct is to be treated as a separate victim. Consequently, multiple counts involving more than one victim are not to be grouped together under § 3D1.2 (Groups of Closely Related Counts). In addition, subsection (d)(1) directs that if the relevant conduct of an offense of conviction includes the promoting of a commercial sex act or prohibited sexual conduct in respect to more than one victim, whether specifically cited in the count of conviction, each such victim shall be treated as if contained in a separate count of conviction.

5. Cross Reference at Subsection (c)(1).—Subsection (c)(1) provides a cross reference to § 2A3.1 (Criminal Sexual Abuse; Attempt to Commit Criminal Sexual Abuse) if the offense involved criminal sexual abuse or attempt to commit criminal sexual abuse, as defined in 18 U.S.C. 2241 or 2242. For example, the cross reference to § 2A3.1 shall apply if the offense involved criminal sexual abuse and the victim was threatened or placed in fear other than fear of death, serious bodily injury, or kidnapping (see 18 U.S.C. 2242(1)).

6. Upward Departure Provision.—An upward departure may be warranted if the offense involved more than ten victims.

Background: This guideline covers offenses that involve promoting prostitution or prohibited sexual conduct with an adult through a variety of means. Offenses that involve promoting prostitution or prohibited sexual conduct are sentenced under this guideline, unless criminal sexual abuse occurs as part of the offense, in which case the cross reference would apply.

This guideline also covers offenses under section 1591 of title 18, United States Code, that involve recruiting or transporting a person, other than a minor, in interstate commerce knowing that force, fraud, or coercion will be used to cause the person to engage in a commercial sex act.

Offenses of promoting prostitution or prohibited sexual conduct in which a minor victim is involved are to be sentenced under § 2G1.3 (Promoting Prostitution or Prohibited Sexual Conduct with a Minor; Transportation of Minors to Engage in a Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct; Travel to Engage in Commercial Sex Act or Prohibited Sexual Conduct with a Minor; Use of Interstate Facilities to Transport Information about a Minor).”.

II. Misleading Domain Names

Section 2G3.1 is amended in the heading by adding at the end “; Misleading Domain Names” after “Minor”.

Section 2G3.1(b)(1) is amended by redesignating subdivisions (D) and (E) as subdivisions (E) and (F), respectively; and by inserting after subdivision (C) the following new subdivision:

“(D) Distribution to a minor that was intended to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce the minor to engage in any illegal activity, increase by 6 levels.”;

and in subdivision (F), as redesignated by this amendment, by striking “(D)” and inserting “(E)”.

Section 2G3.1(b) is amended by redesignating subdivision (2) as subdivision (4); by inserting after subdivision (1) the following new subdivisions (2) and (3):

“(2) If the offense involved the use of a misleading domain name on the Internet with the intent to deceive a [minor][person] into viewing material on the Internet that is harmful to minors, increase by 2 levels.

(3) If [the defendant used][the offense involved the use of] a computer or an interactive computer service, increase by 2 levels.”[;

and by adding at the end the following new subdivision:

“(5) If the offense involved material that was advertised or described to include a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, increase by [2][4] levels.”].

The Commentary to § 2G3.1 captioned “Statutory Provisions” is amended by inserting “; 2252B” after “1470”.

The Commentary to § 2G3.1 captioned “Application Note” is amended by striking “Note” and inserting “Notes”; in Note 1 by striking “For purposes of this guideline.—” and inserting “Definitions.—For purposes of this guideline:”; in the paragraph that begins “ ‘Distribution’ means” by inserting “Accordingly, distribution includes posting material on a website for public viewing.” after “obscene matter.”; by striking the paragraph that begins “ ‘Minor' means” and inserting the following:

“ ‘Material that is harmful to minors’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 2252B(d)(3).

‘Minor’ means (A) an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years; (B) an individual, whether fictitious or not, who a law enforcement officer represented to a participant (i) had not attained the age of 18 years, and (ii) could be provided for the purposes of engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and (C) an undercover law enforcement officer who represented to a participant that the officer had not attained the age of 18 years.”;

by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

“ ‘Sexually explicit conduct’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 2256(2)(A).”;

and by adding after Note 1 the following new note:

“2. Use of a Computer or an Interactive Computer Service.—Subsection (b)(5) is intended to apply only to the use of a computer or an interactive computer service to communicate directly with a minor or with a person who exercises custody, care, or supervisory control of the minor. Accordingly, the enhancement in subsection (b)(5) would not apply to the use of a computer or an interactive computer service to obtain airline tickets for the minor from an airline's Internet site.”.

Appendix A (Statutory Index) is amended by inserting before the line reference to “18 U.S.C. 2257” the following new line:

“18 U.S.C. 2252B 2G3.1”.

Section 3D1.2(d) is amended by inserting “, 2G3.1” after “2G2.4”.

III. Conditions of Supervised Release

Section 5B1.3(d)(7) is amended by striking “If the instant” and all that follows through “sex offenders.” and inserting the following:

“If the instant offense of conviction is a sex offense, as defined in § 5D1.2 (Term of Supervised Release)—

(A) A condition requiring the defendant to participate in a program approved by the United States Probation Office for the treatment and monitoring of sex offenders.

[(B) A condition limiting [or prohibiting] the use of a computer or an interactive computer service in cases in which the [defendant used][offense involved] the use of such items.]”.

Section 5D1.2 is amended in subsection (a) by striking “Subject to” and inserting “Except as provided in”; in subsection (b) by inserting “(1)” before “shall”; and by inserting before the period the following:

“; or (2) in the case of a sex offense conviction, shall be not less than the minimum term of years specified for that class of offense under subdivisions (a)(1) through (a)(3), and may be up to life”.

Section 5D1.3(d)(7) is amended by striking “If the instant” and all that follows through “sex offenders.” and inserting the following:

“If the instant offense of conviction is a sex offense, as defined in § 5D1.2 (Terms of Supervised Release)—

(A) A condition requiring the defendant to participate in a program approved by the United States Probation Office for the treatment and monitoring of sex offenders.

[(B) A condition limiting [or prohibiting] the use of a computer or an interactive computer service in cases in which the [defendant used][the offense involved] the use of such items.]”.

IV. Chapter Two, Part A, Subpart 3 (Criminal Sexual Abuse) Amendments

[Option 1:

Section 2A3.1 is amended by striking subsection (a) in its entirety and inserting the following:

“(a) Base Offense Level:

(1) [30][32][34][36], if the offense involved a minor; or

(2) [27-30], otherwise.]”.

[Option 2:

Section 2A3.1 is amended by striking subsection (a) in its entirety and inserting the following:

“(a) Base Offense Level: [27-30]”;

Section 2A3.1(b) is amended by striking subdivision (1) in its entirety and inserting the following:

“(1) If the offense involved conduct described in 18 U.S.C. 2241(a) or (b), increase by 4 levels.”.]

Section 2A3.1(b) is amended in subdivision (6) by striking “Internet-access device” and inserting “interactive computer service”.

[Option 2:

Section 2A3.1(b) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(7) If (A) a minor was involved; and (B) the offense was committed in connection with the possession, distribution, or production of child pornography, increase by [3][5][7] levels.”.]

[Option 3:

Section 2A3.1(c) is amended by striking “Cross Reference” and inserting “Cross References”; and by adding at the end the following:

“(2) If the offense involved causing, transporting, permitting, or offering or seeking by notice or advertisement, a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, apply § 2G2.1 (Sexually Exploiting a Minor by Production of Sexually Explicit Visual or Printed Material; Custodian Permitting Minor to Engage in Sexually Explicit Conduct; Advertisement for Minors to Engage in Production), if the resulting offense level is greater than that determined above.”].

Section 2A3.1(c)(1) is amended by inserting “, if the resulting offense level is greater than that determined above” after “Murder)”.

The Commentary to § 2A3.1 captioned “Application Notes” is amended by striking Note 1 in its entirety and inserting the following:

“1. Definitions.—For purposes of this guideline:

‘Child pornography’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 2256(8).

‘Computer’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 1030(e)(1).

‘Distribution’ means any act, including production, transportation, and possession with intent to distribute, related to the transfer of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor. Accordingly, distribution includes posting material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor on a website for public viewing, but does not include the mere solicitation of such material by a defendant.

‘Interactive computer service’ has the meaning given that term in section 230(e)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(f)(2)).

‘Minor’ means (A) an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years; (B) an individual, whether fictitious or not, who a law enforcement officer represented to a participant (i) had not attained the age of 18 years, and (ii) could be provided for the purposes of engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and (C) an undercover law enforcement officer who represented to a participant that the officer had not attained the age of 18 years.

‘Participant’ has the meaning given that term in Application Note 1 of the Commentary to § 3B1.1 (Aggravating Role).

‘Permanent or life-threatening bodily injury,’ ‘serious bodily injury,’ and ‘abducted’ are defined in the Commentary to § 1B1.1 (Application Instructions). However, for purposes of this guideline, ‘serious bodily injury’ means conduct other than criminal sexual abuse, which already is taken into account in the base offense level under subsection (a).

‘Prohibited sexual conduct’ (A) means any sexual activity for which a person can be charged with a criminal offense; (B) includes the production of child pornography; and (C) does not include trafficking in, or possession of, child pornography. ‘Child pornography’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 2256(8).

‘Conduct described in 18 U.S.C. 2241(a) or (b)’ is: using force against the victim; threatening or placing the victim in fear that any person will be subject to death, serious bodily injury, or kidnapping; rendering the victim unconscious; or administering by force or threat of force, or without the knowledge or permission of the victim, a drug, intoxicant, or other similar substance and thereby substantially impairing the ability of the victim to appraise or control conduct. This provision would apply, for example, if any dangerous weapon was used or brandished.

‘Victim’ includes an undercover law enforcement officer.”.

The Commentary to § 2A3.1 captioned “Application Notes” is amended by striking Notes 2 and 3 in their entirety and inserting the following:

“2. Custody, Care, or Supervisory Control Enhancement.—Subsection (b)(5) is intended to have broad application and includes offenses involving a victim less than 18 years of age entrusted to the defendant, whether temporarily or permanently. For example, teachers, day care providers, baby-sitters, or other temporary caretakers are among those who would be subject to this enhancement. In determining whether to apply this enhancement, the court should look to the actual relationship that existed between the defendant and the victim and not simply to the legal status of the defendant-victim relationship.

3. Inapplicability of Enhancement.—If the enhancement in subsection (b)(5) applies, do not apply § 3B1.3 (Abuse of

Position of Trust or Use of Special Skill).”.

The Commentary to § 2A3.1 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 4 by inserting before “The enhancement” the following:

“Application of Subsection (b)(6).—

(A) Misrepresentation of Participant's Identity.—”;

and by striking the last paragraph in its entirety and inserting the following new paragraph:

“(B) Use of a Computer or Interactive Computer Service.—Subsection (b)(6)(B) provides an enhancement if a computer or an interactive computer service was used to (A) persuade, induce, entice, or coerce a minor to engage in prohibited sexual conduct; or (B) facilitate transportation or travel, by a minor or a participant, to engage in prohibited sexual conduct. Subsection (b)(6)(B) is intended to apply only to the use of a computer or an interactive computer service to communicate directly with a minor or with a person who exercises custody, care, or supervisory control of the minor. Accordingly, the enhancement would not apply to the use of a computer or an interactive computer service to obtain airline tickets for the minor from an airline's Internet site.”.

The Commentary to § 2A3.1 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 5 by inserting “Upward Departure Provision.—” before “If a victim”.

[Option 2: The Commentary to § 2A3.1 captioned “Application Notes” is amended by adding at the end the following:

“6. Application of Subsection (b)(7).—Subsection (b)(7) is intended to apply in cases in which the offense involved the production of child pornography. For purposes of this subsection, ‘child pornography’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 2256.”.]

Section 2A3.2 is amended by striking subsection (a) in its entirety and inserting the following:

“(a) Base Offense Level: 18”.

Section 2A3.2(b) is amended by striking subsections (2) through (4) in their entirety and inserting the following:

“(2) If (A) subsection (b)(1) does not apply; and (B)(i) the offense involved the knowing misrepresentation of a participant's identity to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce the victim to engage in prohibited sexual conduct or a participant otherwise unduly influenced the victim to engage in prohibited sexual conduct; or (ii) a participant otherwise unduly influenced the victim to engage in prohibited sexual conduct, increase by 2 levels.

(3) If a computer or an interactive computer service was used to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce the victim to engage in prohibited sexual conduct, increase by 2 levels.”.

The Commentary to § 2A3.2 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 1 by inserting after “Definitions.—For purposes of this guideline:” the following:

“ ‘Computer’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 1030(e)(1).

‘Interactive computer service’ has the meaning given that term in section 230(e)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(f)(2)).”;

by striking “ ‘Sexual act’ ” and all that follows through “16 years.” and inserting the following:

“ ‘Victim’ means (A) an individual who had not attained the age of 16 years; (B) an individual, whether fictitious or not, who a law enforcement officer represented to a participant (i) had not attained the age of 16 years, and (ii) could be provided for the purposes of engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and (C) an undercover law enforcement officer who represented to a participant that the officer had not attained the age of 16 years.”.

The Commentary to § 2A3.2 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 2 by striking “and” after “Care,” in the heading and inserting “or”; by inserting “(A) In General.—” before “Subsection (b)(1)”; and by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

“(B) Inapplicability of Enhancement.—If the enhancement in subsection (b)(1) applies, do not apply subsection (b)(2) or § 3B1.3 (Abuse of Position of Trust or Use of Special Skill).”.

The Commentary to § 2A3.2 captioned “Application Notes” is amended by striking Note 3 in its entirety; and by redesignating Notes 4 through 7 as Notes 3 through 6, respectively.

The Commentary to § 2A3.2 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 3, as redesignated by this amendment, by striking “(b)(2)(A)” each place its appears and inserting “(b)(2)(B); by striking “(A) persuade” and inserting “persuade”; by striking “; or (B) facilitate transportation or travel, by the victim or a participant, to engage in prohibited sexual conduct” each place it appears; by striking “(b)(2)(B)” and inserting “(b)(2)(B)(ii)”; and by striking “If the victim” and all that follows through “(c)(1) will apply.”.

The Commentary to § 2A3.2 captioned “Application Notes” is amended by striking Note 4, as redesignated by this amendment, in its entirety and inserting the following:

“4. Use of Computer or an Interactive Computer Service.—Subsection (b)(3) provides an enhancement if a computer or an interactive computer service was used to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce the victim to engage in prohibited sexual conduct. Subsection (b)(3) is intended to apply only to the use of a computer or an interactive computer service to communicate directly with the victim or with a person who exercises custody, care, or supervisory control of the victim. Accordingly, the enhancement would not apply to the use of a computer or an interactive computer service to obtain airline tickets for the victim from an airline's Internet site.”.

The Commentary to § 2A3.2 captioned “Background” is amended by striking “or chapter 117 of title 18, United States Code”.

Section 2A3.3(a) is amended by striking “9” and inserting “[10][12]”.

Section 2A3.3(b) is amended by striking “(A)” each place it appears; and by striking “; or (B) facilitate transportation or travel, by a minor or a participant, to engage in prohibited sexual conduct” each place it appears; and in subdivision (2) by striking “Internet-access device” and inserting “interactive computer service”.

The Commentary to § 2A3.3 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 1 by striking “For purposes of this guideline—” and inserting the following: “Definitions.—For purposes of this guideline:

‘Computer’ has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 1030(e)(1).

‘Interactive computer service’ has the meaning given that term in section 230(e)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(f)(2)).”.

The Commentary to § 2A3.3 captioned “Application Notes” is amended by striking Notes 2 and 3 in their entirety and inserting the following:

“2. Misrepresentation of a Participant's Identity.—The enhancement in subsection (b)(1) applies in cases involving the misrepresentation of a participant's identity to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce a minor to engage in prohibited sexual conduct. Subsection (b)(1) is intended to apply only to misrepresentations made directly to a minor or to a person who exercises custody, care, or supervisory control of the minor.

The misrepresentation to which the enhancement in subsection (b)(1) may apply includes misrepresentation of a participant's name, age, occupation, gender, or status, as long as the misrepresentation was made with the

intent to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce a minor to engage in prohibited sexual conduct. Accordingly, use of a computer screen name, without such intent, would not be a sufficient basis for application of the enhancement.

3. Use of a Computer or an Interactive Computer Service.—Subsection (b)(2) provides an enhancement if a computer or an interactive computer service was used to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce a minor to engage in prohibited sexual conduct. Subsection (b)(2) is intended to apply only to the use of a computer or an interactive computer service to communicate directly with a minor or with a person who exercises custody, care, or supervisory control of the minor.”.

Section 2A3.4(a) is amended by striking subdivisions (1) and (2) in their entirety and inserting the following:

“(1) 16, if the offense involved conduct described in 18 U.S.C. 2241(a) or (b);

(2) 12, if the offense involved conduct described in 18 U.S.C. 2242;”.

Section 2A3.4(b) is amended by striking subdivisions (4) through (6) in their entirety and inserting the following:

“(4) If the offense involved the knowing misrepresentation of a participant's identity to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce a minor to engage in prohibited sexual conduct, increase by 2 levels.

(5) If a computer or an interactive computer service was used to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce a minor to engage in prohibited sexual conduct, increase by 2 levels.”.

The Commentary to § 2A3.4 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 1 by striking “For purposes of this guideline”—and all the follows through “18 years.” and inserting the following:

“Definitions.—For purposes of this guideline:

‘Minor’ means (A) an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years; (B) an individual, whether fictitious or not, who a law enforcement officer represented to a participant (i) had not attained the age of 18 years, and (ii) could be provided for the purposes of engaging in sexually explicit conduct; and (C) an undercover law enforcement officer who represented to a participant that the officer had not attained the age of 18 years.”.

The Commentary to § 2A3.4 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 2 by striking “ ‘The means set forth” and inserting “Application of Subsection (a)(1).—‘Conduct described”; by striking “are” and inserting “is”; and by striking “by” each place it appears.

The Commentary to § 2A3.4 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 3 by striking “ ‘The means set forth” and inserting “Application of Subsection (a)(2).—‘Conduct described”; by striking “are” and inserting “is”; and by striking “by” each place it appears.

The Commentary to § 2A3.4 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 4 by inserting before “Subsection (b)(3)” the following:

“Custody, Care, or Supervisory Control.—

(A) In General.—”;

and by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

“(B) Inapplicability of Enhancement.—If the adjustment in subsection (b)(3) applies, do not apply § 3B1.3 (Abuse of Position of Trust or Use of Special Skill).”.

The Commentary to § 2A3.4 captioned “Application Notes” is amended by striking Note 5 in its entirety; and by redesignating Notes 6 and 7 as Notes 5 and 6, respectively.

The Commentary to § 2A3.4 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 5, as redesignated by this amendment, by inserting “Misrepresentation of a Participant's Identity.—” before “The enhancement in subsection (b)(4) applies”; by striking “(A)” each place it appears; and by striking “; or (B) facilitate transportation or travel, by a minor or a participant, to engage in prohibited sexual conduct” each place it appears.

The Commentary to § 2A3.4 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 6, as redesignated by this amendment, by striking the text and inserting the following:

“Use of a Computer or an Interactive Computer Service.—Subsection (b)(5) provides an enhancement if a computer or an interactive computer service was used to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce a minor to engage in prohibited sexual conduct. Subsection (b)(5) is intended to apply only to the use of a computer or an interactive computer service to communicate directly with a minor or with a person who exercises custody, care, or supervisory control of the minor.”.

The Commentary to § 2A3.4 captioned “Background” is amended by striking “For cases involving” and all that follows through “level 6.”.

Issues for Comment:

1. The PROTECT Act contains substantial increases in penalties for defendants sentenced under a number of the sexual abuse and pornography guidelines, including new mandatory minimum penalties. Do the increased penalties provided in the PROTECT Act necessitate amending the base offense levels and specific offense characteristics in these guidelines to target more accurately the specific conduct of the defendant, thereby reserving the most severe penalties for the most serious offenders? Guidelines 2G2.1, 2G2.2, and 2G2.4 contain numerous specific offense characteristics addressing a wide variety of conduct involved in the production of, trafficking in, or possession of, child pornography. Currently, the application of these specific offense characteristics is based on either (A) the actions of only the defendant (
e.g.,
§ 2G2.4(b)(3) provides a two-level increase “if the defendant's possession of the material resulted from the defendant's use of a computer”), or (B) all the conduct within the scope of relevant conduct (
e.g.
, § 2G2.1(b)(3) provides, in part, a two-level increase if the “offense involved” the use of a computer or Internet-access device). Specifically, the Commission requests comment on whether the specific offense characteristics in these guidelines should be based on all conduct within the scope of relevant conduct, or based on only the actions of the defendant;
i.e.
, should the enhancement apply if the defendant used or directed the use of a computer, rather than if others within the defendant's jointly undertaken criminal activity used a computer?

2. Sections 401(i)(1)(B) and (C) of the PROTECT Act added new subsections in §§ 2G2.2 and 2G2.4 which provide a two- to five-level enhancement based on the number of child pornography “images” involved in the offense. See §§ 2G2.2(b)(6) and 2G2.4(b)(5). The PROTECT Act did not, however, define what constitutes an “image” for purposes of applying these new “image tables.” The Commission seeks comment regarding whether a definition of “image,” or instructions for counting images, for purposes of applying these subsections, is necessary. If the Commission provides instructions, how should the Commission decide how to count images? For example, is a photograph of two minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct to be considered one image, or two images? How should videos, films, or AVI files be considered? For example, if a video includes numerous scenes, each of which portrays the same minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a different adult, is each scene with a different adult to be considered a separate image?

3. The Commission seeks comment regarding whether it should address a circuit conflict involving the application

of the specific offense characteristics in §§ 2G2.2 and 2G2.4 (effective April 30, 2003) for material portraying sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence. Currently, the circuit courts are split on this issue, with three circuits finding that application of the enhancement requires proof that the defendant intended to possess or traffic material portraying sadistic or masochistic conduct, or other depictions of violence (see
United States
v.
Kimbrough,
69 F.3d 723 (5th Cir. 1995);
United States
v.
Burnette,
234 F.3d 1270 (6th Cir. 2000)(unpub.);
United States
v.
Tucker,
136 F.3d 763 (11th Cir. 1998)), while the Seventh Circuit requires a strict liability standard (see
United States
v.
Richardson,
238 F.3d 837 (7th Cir. 2001)). The Commission requests comment on whether it should resolve this circuit conflict. If so, how should the Commission handle this issue?

Further, the Commission seeks comment regarding whether it should provide a definition of sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence for purposes of application of the specific offense characteristic. Circuit courts have struggled with whether material portraying sexual penetration of prepubescent minors is per se sadistic or violent; whether the enhancement requires that depictions contain material portraying bondage or restraints; whether sadistic or masochistic conduct requires purposefully degrading or humiliating conduct that causes mental, psychological, or emotional injury; or whether the conduct depicted must be painful, coercive, degrading, and abusive. See
United States
v.
Delmarle,
99 F.3d 80 (2d Cir. 1996);
United States
v.
Kimbrough,
69 F.3d 723 (5th Cir. 1995);
United States
v.
Turchen,
187 F.3d 735 (7th Cir. 1999);
United States
v.
Parker,
267 F.3d 839 (8th Cir. 2001);
United States
v.
Hall,
312 F.3d 1250 (11th Cir. 2002). If the Commission provides a definition of these terms, what should that definition be?

Finally, some argue that material that depicts bestiality or excretory functions is just as harmful as material that depicts sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence and should be treated accordingly. The Commission seeks comment regarding whether the enhancement for material portraying sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence in §§ 2G2.2, 2G2.4, and 2G3.1 (as well as the proposed enhancement in § 2G2.1) should be expanded to include material portraying bestiality or excretory functions.

4. The Commission seeks comment regarding which guideline is the most appropriate for violations of 18 U.S.C. 2425, relating to use of interstate facilities to transport information about a minor. Section 2425 prohibits the use of interstate facilities to transmit the name, address, telephone number, social security number, or e-mail address of a minor, with the intent to encourage, entice, offer, or solicit any person to engage in prohibited sexual conduct with that minor. Violations of this section carry a statutory maximum term of imprisonment of five years and are currently covered by § 2G1.1 (proposed § 2G1.3). Other offenses covered by § 2G1.1 carry a five year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment and substantially higher statutory maximums. Some practitioners claim that section 2425 offenses might be more like harassment or threatening communications offenses covered by § 2A6.1 (Threatening or Harassing Communications). Is § 2G1.1 (proposed § 2G1.3) or § 2A6.1 the more appropriate guideline for section 2425 offenses? If § 2G1.1 (proposed § 2G1.3) is not the most appropriate guideline, what guideline should be used to sentence violators of section 2425? Is there conduct specific to section 2425 offenses that necessitates the addition of any specific offense characteristic (
e.g.,
age, intent to encourage, entice, offer, or solicit any person to engage in prohibited sexual conduct with a minor)?

5. The Commission seeks comment regarding whether the offense levels in Chapter Two, Part A, Subpart 3 (Criminal Sexual Abuse), specifically, §§ 2A3.1, 2A3.2, and 2A3.3, 2A3.4, should be increased to maintain proportionality with increases proposed for the Chapter Two, Part G guidelines, in response to statutory penalty changes provided by the PROTECT Act. If so increased, what should be the appropriate offense levels? Are there additional specific offense characteristics, cross references, or departure considerations that should be added to these guidelines? Additionally, how should the Commission address the interaction between the pattern of activity enhancement at § 4B1.5 (Repeat and Dangerous Sex Offender Against Minor) and offenses sentenced under § 2A3.2. The PROTECT Act changed the definition of pattern of activity so that, instead of requiring the abuse of two minors on two separate occasions, a pattern of activity now requires two separate occasions of prohibited sexual conduct with only one minor. Therefore, under the new definition, repeat acts against one minor will lead to a five-level increase under § 4B1.5. Preliminary data suggest this enhancement will apply to the majority of defendants sentenced at § 2A3.2. Thus, should the Commission consider this enhancement when deciding whether to increase the base offense level at § 2A3.2?

6. The Commission requests comment regarding whether the guidelines in Chapter Two, Part A, Subpart 3 (Criminal Sexual Abuse) and Chapter Two, Part G (Offenses Involving Commercial Sexual Acts, Sexual Exploitation of Minors, and Obscenity) should provide an enhancement if the offense involved incest. Some commentators have argued that offenses involving incest result in a violation of trust, making these offenses more egregious than offenses in which a defendant has care, custody, or control of the victim but is not a family member. If the Commission added this enhancement to the Chapter Two, Part A, Subpart 3 offenses, should the enhancement apply as an alternative or as an additional enhancement to the current two-level enhancement that applies “if the victim was in the custody, care, or supervisory control of the defendant”? Furthermore, if the Commission added this enhancement, what relationships should be covered under the definition of incest?

Proposed Amendment 2: Effective Compliance Programs in Chapter Eight

Synopsis of Proposed Amendment: The proposed amendment is intended to provide greater guidance to organizations and courts regarding the criteria for an effective program to prevent and detect violations of the law (“compliance programs”). The proposed amendment adds to Chapter Eight, Part B, a new guideline, § 8B2.1 (Effective Program to Prevent and Detect Violations of Law), that identifies the purposes of an effective compliance program, sets forth seven minimum steps for such a program, and provides guidance for their implementation. This proposed amendment was developed by the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on the Organizational Sentencing Guidelines empaneled by the Commission for the purpose of reviewing the general effectiveness of the guidelines for organizations, with particular emphasis on examining the criteria for an effective compliance program. The Advisory Group's review and analysis can be found in its report of October 7, 2003, to the Commission at
www.ussc.gov
.

Under subsection (g) of § 8C2.5 (Culpability Score), the existence of an effective compliance program is a

mitigating factor that reduces an organization's culpability score and ultimately its fine range. Also, the implementation of a compliance program may be a condition of probation for organizations under § 8D1.4(c) (Recommended Conditions of Probation—Organizations).

The proposed amendment incorporates the seven minimum steps for a compliance program, currently located in the commentary to § 8A1.2 (Application Instructions—Organizations) at Application Note 3(k), into a new guideline at § 8B2.1 in order to emphasize the importance of compliance programs and provide more prominent guidance on the attributes of such programs. The proposed amendment defines the obligations and purposes of such programs, adds more detail to the seven minimum requirements, and provides definitions throughout the associated commentary.

The proposed amendment expands the scope of the objective of a compliance program by defining the term “violation of law” more broadly than in the current guidelines, which refer only to violations of criminal law and prevention of criminal conduct. The proposed amendment expands the objective of a compliance program more broadly to include prevention and detection of “violations of any law, whether criminal or noncriminal (including a regulation), for which the organization is, or would be, liable.” This language also replaces the prior reference to “employees and agents”, relying instead on the legal standard of vicarious liability.

The proposed amendment retains the requirement that an organization exercise due diligence to prevent and detect violations of law, and adds at subsection (a) the requirement that an organization shall also “otherwise promote an organizational culture that encourages a commitment to compliance with the law.” This proposed addition is intended to reflect the emphasis on ethics and values incorporated into recent legislative and regulatory reforms, as well as the proposition that compliance with all laws is the expected behavior within organizations.

The proposed amendment retains the existing seven minimum steps of an effective compliance program but provides greater guidance regarding some of the requirements by adding definitions and clarifying terms at subsection (b). First, for the requirement of the “establishment of compliance standards and procedures that are reasonably capable of reducing the prospect of criminal conduct”, Application Note 1 defines “compliance standards and procedures” as “standards of conduct and internal control systems that are reasonably capable of reducing the likelihood of violations of law.”

Second, for the requirement that “specific individuals within high-level personnel of the organization must have been assigned overall responsibility to oversee compliance”, subsection (b)(2) defines the specific roles and reporting relationships of particular categories of high-level personnel with respect to compliance programs. In particular, the proposed amendment provides that the “organizational leadership shall be knowledgeable about the content and operation of the program to prevent and detect violations of law.” The accompanying commentary at Application Note 1 defines “organizational leadership” as “(A) high-level personnel of the organization; (B) high-level personnel of a unit of the organization; and (C) substantial authority personnel” and retains existing definitions for the terms “high-level personnel of the organization” and “substantial authority personnel”.

The proposed amendment also provides at subsection (b)(2) that the “organization's governing authority shall be knowledgeable about the content and operation of the program to prevent and detect violations of the law and shall exercise reasonable oversight with respect to the implementation and effectiveness of the program to prevent and detect violations of law.” Application Note 1 defines “governing authority” as “(A) Board of Directors, or (B) if the organization does not have a Board of Directors, the highest-level governing body of the organization.” Subsection (b)(2) retains the existing requirement that “specific individual(s) within high-level personnel of the organization shall be assigned direct, overall responsibility for the program,” and specifies that their responsibility is to “ensure the implementation and effectiveness of the program.” The proposed amendment also requires that the individual responsible for compliance be given adequate resources and authority to carry out such responsibility, and provides that such individual shall report directly to the governing authority.

Third, the proposed amendment at subsection (b)(3) replaces the current requirement that substantial authority personnel be screened for their “propensity to engage in violations of law” with a requirement that the organization “use reasonable efforts and due diligence not to include within the substantial authority personnel any individual whom the organization knew, or should have known, has a history of engaging in violations of law or other conduct inconsistent with an effective program”. For purposes of this subsection only, the proposed amendment defines the term “violations of law” as “any official determination of a violation or violations of any law, whether criminal or noncriminal (including a regulation).” This is meant to ensure that an individual is screened on the basis of his or her culpability and not on the basis of an organization's vicarious liability. The corresponding commentary enumerates factors to be considered in this determination, among them, the recency of the individual's violations of law and other misconduct, the relatedness of the individual's violations of law and other misconduct to his or her responsibilities, and whether the individual has engaged in a pattern of such violations of law and other misconduct.

Fourth, the proposed amendment at subsection (b)(4) makes compliance training a requirement, and specifically extends the training requirement to the upper levels of an organization as well as to the organization's employees and agents, as appropriate.

Fifth, the proposed amendment at subsection (b)(5) expands the existing criterion for using auditing and monitoring systems by expressly providing that such systems are to be designed to detect violations of law. The proposed amendment adds the specific requirement that there be periodic evaluation of the effectiveness of its compliance program. The proposed amendment replaces the existing reference to “reporting systems without fear of retribution” with the more specific requirement for the implementation of “mechanisms to allow for anonymous reporting.” The proposed amendment expands the stated focus of internal reporting from “the criminal conduct * * * of others” to using internal systems for both “seeking guidance and reporting potential or actual violations of law.”

Sixth, the proposed amendment at subsection (b)(6) broadens the existing criterion that the compliance standards be enforced through disciplinary measures by adding that such standards also be encouraged through “appropriate incentives to perform in accordance with a [compliance] program.” Finally, at subsection (b)(7) the amendment retains the existing requirement that an organization take reasonable steps to respond to and prevent further similar violations of law.

In addition to the seven criteria for a compliance program, the proposed

amendment expressly provides at subsection (c) that ongoing risk assessment is an essential component of the design, implementation, and modification of an effective program. The proposed amendment includes at Application Note 5(A) certain requirements in conjunction with the performance of risk assessments, namely, that organizations assess the nature and seriousness of potential violations of law, the likelihood that certain violations of law may occur because of the nature of the organization's business, and the prior history of the organization. Corresponding commentary specifies that organizations must prioritize the actions taken to implement an effective compliance program and modify such actions in light of the risks identified in the risk assessment.

The proposed amendment also provides additional guidance with respect to the implementation of compliance programs by small organizations by making more frequent references to small organizations throughout the commentary and providing illustrations (
e.g.
, § 8B2.1, Application Note 2(B)(ii)).

This proposed amendment also makes two changes to the factors that affect the culpability score of an organization under § 8C2.5 (Culpability Score). First, rather than precluding an organization from obtaining the compliance program credit if certain categories of high-level personnel are involved in the offense of conviction, the proposed subsection (f) establishes that “an offense by an individual within high-level personnel of the organization results in a rebuttable presumption” that effective prevention and detections program did not exist.

Under the existing guidelines, an organization cannot receive the three-point reduction in its culpability score under § 8C2.5(f) if any one of three categories of individuals participated in, condoned, or was willfully ignorant of the offense: (1) An individual within high-level personnel of the organization; (2) a person within high-level personnel of a unit having more than 200 employees and within which the offense was committed; or (3) an individual responsible for the administration or enforcement of a compliance program. The existing guidelines also provide for a rebuttable presumption that an organization did not have an effective compliance program if an individual within substantial authority personnel participated in an offense. The proposed amendment provides for a rebuttable presumption that the organization did not have an effective compliance program where high-level personnel of the organization participated in, condoned, or were wilfully ignorant of the offense. This modification is intended to assist smaller organizations that currently may be automatically precluded, because of their size, from arguing for a culpability score reduction for their compliance efforts under § 8C2.5(f).

Second, the proposed amendment addresses concerns about the relationship between obtaining credit under subsection (g) of § 8C2.5 and waiving the attorney-client privilege and the work product protection doctrine. Pursuant to § 8C2.5(g)(1) and (2), an organization's culpability score will be reduced if it “fully cooperated in the investigation” of its wrongdoing, among other factors. The Commission's Ad Hoc Advisory Group on the Organizational Sentencing Guidelines studied the relationship between waivers and § 8C2.5(g) by obtaining testimony and conducting its own research, including a survey of United States Attorney's Offices (all of which are described at Part V of the Advisory Group Report of October 17, 2003, located at
www.ussc.gov
). The commentary in the proposed amendment addresses some of these concerns by providing that waiver of the attorney-client privilege and of work product protections “is not a prerequisite to a reduction in culpability score under subsection (g)” but in some circumstances “may be required in order to satisfy the requirements of cooperation.”

Proposed Amendment:

Chapter Eight is amended in the Introductory Commentary by striking “criminal conduct” each place it appears and inserting “violations of law”.

Section 8A1.2(a) is amended by inserting “, Subpart 1” after “Part B”.

Section 8A1.2(b)(2)(D) is amended by adding at the end the following: “To determine whether the organization had an effective program to prevent and detect violations of law for purposes of § 8C2.5(f), apply § 8B2.1 (Effective Program to Prevent and Detect Violations of Law).”.

The Commentary to § 8A1.2 captioned “Application Notes” is amended in Note 3(c) in the second sentence by inserting “of the organization” after “high-level personnel”.

The Commentary to § 8A1.2 captioned “Application Notes” is amended by striking Note 3(k) in its entirety.

Chapter Eight, Part B is amended by striking the heading and inserting the following:

“PART B—REMEDYING HARM FROM CRIMINAL CONDUCT, AND PREVENTING AND DETECTING VIOLATI

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A03-31755. Public record. Not legal advice.