Motor Vehicle and Aircraft Theft—Prosecution Policy

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DOJ Justice Manual › Title 9: Criminal › 9-61.000 - Crimes Involving Property › Justice Manual § 9-61.113

This text was captured on Aug 14, 2026. It is a snapshot, not a live feed, so check the official code before relying on it.

Text

Except in situations where 18 U.S.C. § 5001 (surrender of youthful offenders to State authorities) is to be utilized or there are indications that organized ring activity may be involved, Federal process should not be filed against an individual, regardless of local prosecutive decisions, in the following instances where a stolen motor vehicle has been transported in interstate or foreign commerce:

Cases involving joy-riding;

Cases in which the individual to be charged is a juvenile (i.e., under 18 years of age); and

Cases in which the individual to be charged is at least 18 but less than 21 years of age and cannot be defined as a recidivist. A "recidivist" for purposes of this policy is a person who has on at least two prior occasions been arrested for motor vehicle thefts and on one or more occasions has been convicted for motor vehicle theft or another criminal offense.

[cited in

JM 9-61.112

]

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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Motor Vehicle and Aircraft Theft—Prosecution Policy · Justice Manual § 9-61.113 | Frix