US Code

Public Law 119-88 (05/04/2026)

18 U.S.C. § 751

Prisoners in custody of institution or officer

(a)
Whoever escapes or attempts to escape from the custody of the Attorney General or his authorized representative, or from any institution or facility in which he is confined by direction of the Attorney General, or from any custody under or by virtue of any process issued under the laws of the United States by any court, judge, or magistrate judge, or from the custody of an officer or employee of the United States pursuant to lawful arrest, shall, if the custody or confinement is by virtue of an arrest on a charge of felony, or conviction of any offense, be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both; or if the custody or confinement is for extradition, or for exclusion or expulsion proceedings under the immigration laws, or by virtue of an arrest or charge of or for a misdemeanor, and prior to conviction, be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
(b)
section 5034 of this titlesection 5032 of this title Whoever escapes or attempts to escape from the custody of the Attorney General or his authorized representative, or from any institution or facility in which he is confined by direction of the Attorney General, or from any custody under or by virtue of any process issued under the laws of the United States by any court, judge, or magistrate judge, or from the custody of an officer or employee of the United States pursuant to lawful arrest, shall, if the custody or confinement is by virtue of a lawful arrest for a violation of any law of the United States not punishable by death or life imprisonment and committed before such person’s eighteenth birthday, and as to whom the Attorney General has not specifically directed the institution of criminal proceedings, or by virtue of a commitment as a juvenile delinquent under , be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to affect the discretionary authority vested in the Attorney General pursuant to .

June 25, 1948, ch. 645 62 Stat. 734 Pub. L. 88–251, § 177 Stat. 834 Pub. L. 89–176, § 379 Stat. 675 Pub. L. 90–578, title IV, § 402(b)(2)82 Stat. 1118 Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, § 7055102 Stat. 4402 Pub. L. 101–650, title III, § 321104 Stat. 5117 Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H)108 Stat. 2147 (, ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , (K), , .)

Historical and Revision Notes

May 14, 1930, ch. 274, § 9 46 Stat. 327 May 27, 1930, ch. 339, § 9 46 Stat. 390 Aug. 3, 1935, ch. 432 49 Stat. 513 Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 753h, 909 (, ; , ; , ).

Sections 753h and 909 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., were consolidated. Section 753h is later and more comprehensive. The substance of its provisions was adopted.

section 1 of this titlesection 550 of this titleReferences to offenses as felonies or misdemeanors were omitted in view of definitive . (See also reviser’s notes under .)

Mandatory provision as to separate sentences and order of service was omitted in order to permit court to exercise discretion as to whether sentences should be concurrent or consecutive and to obviate administration problems in enforcement of section.

Words “or employee” were inserted to remove ambiguity as to scope of section.

Reference to “custody or confinement is for extradition” was inserted to avoid possible ambiguity.

Changes were made in phraseology and arrangement.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 103–3221994— substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000” after “any offense, be” and for “fined not more than $1,000” after “conviction, be” in subsec. (a) and substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000” in subsec. (b).

Pub. L. 100–6901988—Subsec. (a). inserted “, or for exclusion or expulsion proceedings under the immigration laws,” after “extradition”.

Pub. L. 89–1761965— inserted “or facility” after “institution”.

Pub. L. 88–2511963— designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

section 321 of Pub. L. 101–650section 631 of Title 28Pub. L. 90–578Words “magistrate judge” substituted for “magistrate” in subsecs. (a) and (b) pursuant to , set out as a note under , Judiciary and Judicial Procedure. Previously, “magistrate” substituted for “commissioner” pursuant to . See chapter 43 (§ 631 et seq.) of Title 28.