11th Cir. Pattern Jury Instr. (Criminal) O86

a Stolen Motor Vehicle

18 U.S.C. § 2312

It’s a Federal crime to transport, or cause to be transported, a stolen motor

vehicle in interstate commerce.

The Defendant can be found guilty of this crime only if all the following

facts are proved beyond a reasonable doubt:

(1) the Defendant [transported a stolen motor vehicle] [caused a stolen

motor vehicle to be transported] in interstate commerce; and

(2) the Defendant knew the vehicle had been stolen.

The word “stolen” includes any wrongful and dishonest taking of a motor

vehicle with the intent to deprive the owner of the rights and benefits of ownership.

The offense is to transport a motor vehicle or cause it to be transported in

interstate commerce with knowledge that it had been stolen. It doesn’t matter

whether the Defendant or someone else stole the vehicle.

“Interstate or foreign commerce” is the movement of property between

different states or between the United States and anyplace outside of the United State.

A “state” is a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, and any

commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.

If a vehicle is driven under its own power or otherwise transported across

state lines from one state to another it has been transported in interstate commerce.