# Justice Manual § 9-63.171: Prosecution Policy for False Information (49 U.S.C. &$167 46507(1))

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.171

## Section

- **Citation:** Justice Manual § 9-63.171
- **Heading:** Prosecution Policy for False Information (49 U.S.C. &$167 46507(1))
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** DOJ Justice Manual / Title 9: Criminal / 9-63.000 - Protection Of Public Order / Justice Manual § 9-63.171

## Text

Title 49 U.S.C. § 46507(1) makes it a crime to willfully and maliciously, or with reckless disregard for safety, convey false information, knowing such information to be false, concerning an attempt to do an act which would be a felony prohibited by various sections of Title 49.

To achieve uniform application of 49 U.S.C. § 46507(1) (formerly 49 U.S.C. App. § 1472(m)(1)), the following guidelines should be considered in determining whether an offense is to be prosecuted:

Aggravated cases should be fully investigated and prosecuted. Such aggravated cases include, but are not limited to, the following examples:
A hijacking hoax made by a person reporting the alleged hijacking and falsely attributing it to another; or
False information not readily disclosed as such resulting in delay of the flight or inconvenience to airport employees and passengers.
Federal criminal prosecution under 49 U.S.C. § 46507(1) may be declined in the following instances:
False statements made in the vicinity of the inspection point as a poor attempt at humor and suspected to be such by the individual to whom the statement is directed;
Statements made by individuals who have no prior criminal record and made under circumstances that are clearly extenuating in nature; or
Consistent with the considerations discussed above, cases in which the airlines do not deem the conduct of the individual to be of such seriousness as to warrant his/her removal from a flight or delay his/her travel schedule.

[cited in
JM 9-63.231
]

## Nearby sections

- [Justice Manual § 9-63.010 Overview](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.010.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.100 Aircraft Piracy and Related Offenses](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.100.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.110 Interference with Flight Crew Members and Attendants](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.110.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.135 Negotiated Pleas for Aircraft Piracy Within the Special Aircraft Jurisdiction of the United States](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.135.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.161 Prosecution Policy for Carrying Weapons or Explosives Aboard Aircraft (49 U.S.C. §§ 46314 & 46505)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.161.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.171 Prosecution Policy for False Information (49 U.S.C. &$167 46507(1))](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.171.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.181 Prosecution Policy for Aircraft Piracy Outside the Special Aircraft Jurisdiction of the United States (49 U.S.C. § 46502(b))](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.181.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.200 Destruction of Aircraft and Motor Vehicles and Related Offenses (18 U.S.C. § § 31 - 35)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.200.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.221 Prosecutive Policy for 18 U.S.C. § 32(b)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.221.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.231 Prosecutive Policy for Threats to Destroy Aircraft](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.231.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.241 Prosecutive Policy for Destruction of Motor Vehicles—18 U.S.C. § 33](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.241.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.251 Prosecutive Policy for Imparting or Conveying False Information (Bomb Hoax)—18 U.S.C. § 35](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.251.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.260 Death Penalty](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.260.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-63.500 Firearms Generally](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.500.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-63.171. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.