18 U.S.C. § 1659
Attack to plunder vessel
Whoever, upon the high seas or other waters within the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the United States, by surprise or open force, maliciously attacks or sets upon any vessel belonging to another, with an intent unlawfully to plunder the same, or to despoil any owner thereof of any moneys, goods, or merchandise laden on board thereof, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9
cases (2 in the last 5 years), 2010–2024 · leading case: United States v. Dire, 680 F.3d 446 (4th Cir. 2012).
United States v. Dire, 680 F.3d 446 (4th Cir. 2012). “§ 1651 ); • Count Two — Attack to plunder a vessel ( 18 U.S.C. § 1659 ); • Count Three — Act of violence against persons on a vessel ( 18 U.”
United States v. Hasan, 747 F. Supp. 2d 599 (E.D. Va. 2010). “Lastly, Chapter 81 criminalizes attacks to plunder a vessel in 18 U.S.C. § 1659 . Section 1659 was originally enacted as part of the Act of 1825, and today provides: Whoever, upon the high seas or other waters within the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the United States,…”
United States v. Hasan, 747 F. Supp. 2d 642 (E.D. Va. 2010). “§§ 1651 and 2; (2) Attack to Plunder Vessel, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1659 , 3238, and 2; (3) Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in the Special Maritime Jurisdiction of the United States, in violation of 18 U.”
United States v. Mohamed Said, 798 F.3d 182 (4th Cir. 2015). “§ 1651 ); • Count Six — Attack to plunder a vessel ( 18 U.S.C. § 1659 ); • Count Seven — Assault with a dangerous weapon on a federal officer or employee ( 18 U.”
United States v. Said, 757 F. Supp. 2d 554 (E.D. Va. 2010). “The Court discerns further support for the limitation of piracy in § 1651 to robbery or forcible depredations by reviewing § 1659 of Title 18, in which Congress explicitly provided that “[w]hoever, upon the high seas or other waters within the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction…”
United States v. Said, 3 F. Supp. 3d 515 (E.D. Va. 2014). “§§ 1651 & 2 (mandatory life) • Count 6: Attack to Plunder Vessel, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1659 & 2 (0-10 years of imprisonment) • Count 7: Assault with a Dangerous Weapon on Federal Officers and Employees, 18 U.”
United States v. Ali, 965 F. Supp. 2d 139 (D.D.C. 2013). “§§ 1651 and 2, and aiding and abetting attack to plunder vessel, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1659 and 2. (Indictment, April 15, 2011 [Dkt.”
EDST, LLC v. iApartments, Inc. (M.D. Fla. 2022). “18 U.S.C. § 1659 (a). Whether to stay the non-patent claims, however, is a discretionary question.”
United States v. Abdi Osman (4th Cir. 2024). “§ 924 (o); (5) attack to plunder a vessel, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1659 ; (6) assault with a dangerous weapon on federal officers and employees, in violation of 18 U.”
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