Bindinglaw

US · guidelines

U.S.S.G. §2B1.5

Theft of, Damage to, or Destruction of, Cultural Heritage Resources or Paleontological Resources; Unlawful Sale, Purchase, Exchange, Transportation, or Receipt of Cultural Heritage Resources or Paleontological Resources

activein force · 2025-11-01 – presentact-effective-date

(a) Base Offense Level: 8

(b) Specific Offense Characteristics

(1) If the value of the cultural heritage resource or paleontological resource (A) exceeded $2,500 but did not exceed $6,500, increase by

1 level; or (B) exceeded $6,500, increase by the number of levels from

the table in §2B1.1 (Theft, Property Destruction, and Fraud) corresponding to that amount.

(2) If the offense involved a cultural heritage resource or paleontological

resource from, or that, prior to the offense, was on, in, or in the custody

of (A) the national park system; (B) a National Historic Landmark;

(C) a national monument or national memorial; (D) a national marine

sanctuary; (E) a national cemetery or veterans’ memorial; (F) a museum; or (G) the World Heritage List, increase by 2 levels.

(3) If the offense involved a cultural heritage resource constituting

(A) human remains; (B) a funerary object; (C) cultural patrimony;

(D) a sacred object; (E) cultural property; (F) designated archaeological or ethnological material; or (G) a pre-Columbian monumental or

architectural sculpture or mural, increase by 2 levels.

(4) If the offense was committed for pecuniary gain or otherwise involved

a commercial purpose, increase by 2 levels.

(5) If the defendant engaged in a pattern of misconduct involving cultural

heritage resources or paleontological resources, increase by 2 levels.

(6) If a dangerous weapon was brandished or its use was threatened, increase by 2 levels. If the resulting offense level is less than level 14,

increase to level 14.

(c) Cross Reference

(1) If the offense involved arson, or property damage by the use of any

explosive, explosive material, or destructive device, apply §2K1.4 (Arson; Property Damage by Use of Explosives), if the resulting offense

level is greater than that determined above.

Commentary

Statutory Provisions: 16 U.S.C. §§ 470aaa–5, 470ee, 668(a), 707(b); 18 U.S.C. §§ 541–546, 554, 641,

661–662, 666, 668, 1163, 1168, 1170, 1361, 1369, 2232, 2314–2315.

Application Notes:

1. Definitions.—For purposes of this guideline:

(A) “Cultural heritage resource” means any of the following:

(i) A historic property, as defined in 54 U.S.C. § 300308 (see also section 16(l) of 36 C.F.R.

pt. 800).

(ii) An archaeological resource, as defined in 16 U.S.C. § 470bb(1) (see also section 3(a) of

43 C.F.R. pt. 7; 36 C.F.R. pt. 296; 32 C.F.R. pt. 229; 18 C.F.R. pt. 1312).

(iii) A cultural item, as defined in section 2(3) of the Native American Graves Protection

and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. § 3001(3) (see also 43 C.F.R. § 10.2(d)).

(iv) A commemorative work. “Commemorative work” (I) has the meaning given that

term in 40 U.S.C. § 8902(a)(1); and (II) includes any national monument or national

memorial.

(v) An object of cultural heritage, as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 668(a)(2).

(vi) Designated ethnological material, as described in 19 U.S.C. §§ 2601(2)(ii), 2601(7),

and 2604.

(B) “Paleontological resource” has the meaning given such term in 16 U.S.C. § 470aaa.

2. Value of the Resource Under Subsection (b)(1).—This application note applies to the determination of the value of the resource under subsection (b)(1).

(A) General Rule.—For purposes of subsection (b)(1), the value of the resource shall include,

as applicable to the particular resource involved, the following:

(i) The archaeological value. (Archaeological value shall be included in the case of any

resource that is an archaeological resource.)

(ii) The commercial value.

(iii) The cost of restoration and repair.

(B) Estimation of Value.—For purposes of subsection (b)(1), the court need only make a reasonable estimate of the value of the resource based on available information.

(C) Definitions.—For purposes of this application note:

(i) “Archaeological value” of a resource means the cost of the retrieval of the scientific

information which would have been obtainable prior to the offense, including the cost

of preparing a research design, conducting field work, conducting laboratory analysis,

and preparing reports, as would be necessary to realize the information potential.

(See, e.g., 43 C.F.R. § 7.14(a); 36 C.F.R. § 296.14(a); 32 C.F.R. § 229.14(a); 18 C.F.R.

§ 1312.14(a).)

(ii) “Commercial value” of a resource means the fair market value of the resource at the

time of the offense. (See, e.g., 43 C.F.R. § 7.14(b); 36 C.F.R. § 296.14(b); 32 C.F.R.

§ 229.14(b); 18 C.F.R. § 1312.14(b).)

(iii) “Cost of restoration and repair” includes all actual and projected costs of curation,

disposition, and appropriate reburial of, and consultation with respect to, the resource; and any other actual and projected costs to complete restoration and repair of

the resource, including (I) its reconstruction and stabilization; (II) reconstruction and

stabilization of ground contour and surface; (III) research necessary to conduct reconstruction and stabilization; (IV) the construction of physical barriers and other protective devices; (V) examination and analysis of the resource as part of efforts to salvage remaining information about the resource; and (VI) preparation of reports.

(See, e.g., 43 C.F.R. § 7.14(c); 36 C.F.R. § 296.14(c); 32 C.F.R. § 229.14(c); 18 C.F.R.

§ 1312.14(c).)

(D) Determination of Value in Cases Involving a Variety of Resources.—In a case involving a variety of resources, the value of the resources is the sum of all calculations made

for those resources under this application note.

3. Enhancement in Subsection (b)(2).—For purposes of subsection (b)(2):

(A) “Museum” has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. § 668(a)(1) except that the museum may be situated outside the United States.

(B) “National cemetery” and “veterans’ memorial” have the meaning given those terms in

Application Note 1 of the Commentary to §2B1.1 (Theft, Property Destruction, and Fraud).

(C) “National Historic Landmark” means a property designated as such pursuant to

54 U.S.C. § 302102.

(D) “National marine sanctuary” means a national marine sanctuary designated as such by

the Secretary of Commerce pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 1433.

(E) “National monument or national memorial” means any national monument or national memorial established as such by Act of Congress or by proclamation pursuant to

54 U.S.C. § 320301.

(F) “National park system” has the meaning given that term in 54 U.S.C. § 100501.

(G) “World Heritage List” means the World Heritage List maintained by the World Heritage

Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization in accordance with the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural

Heritage.

4. Enhancement in Subsection (b)(3).—For purposes of subsection (b)(3):

(A) “Cultural patrimony” has the meaning given that term in 25 U.S.C. § 3001(3)(D)

(see also 43 C.F.R. 10.2(d)(4)).

(B) “Cultural property” has the meaning given that term in 19 U.S.C. § 2601(6).

(C) “Designated archaeological or ethnological material” means archaeological or ethnological material described in 19 U.S.C. § 2601(7) (see also 19 U.S.C. §§ 2601(2) and 2604).

(D) “Funerary object” means an object that, as a part of the death rite or ceremony of a culture, was placed intentionally, at the time of death or later, with or near human remains.

(E) “Human remains” (i) means the physical remains of the body of a human; and (ii) does

not include remains that reasonably may be determined to have been freely disposed of or

naturally shed by the human from whose body the remains were obtained, such as hair

made into ropes or nets.

(F) “Pre-Columbian monumental or architectural sculpture or mural” has the meaning

given that term in 19 U.S.C. § 2095(3).

(G) “Sacred object” has the meaning given that term in 25 U.S.C. § 3001(3)(C)

(see also 43 C.F.R. § 10.2(d)(3)).

5. Pecuniary Gain and Commercial Purpose Enhancement Under Subsection (b)(4).—

(A) “For Pecuniary Gain”.—For purposes of subsection (b)(4), “for pecuniary gain” means

for receipt of, or in anticipation of receipt of, anything of value, whether monetary or in

goods or services. Therefore, offenses committed for pecuniary gain include both monetary

and barter transactions, as well as activities designed to increase gross revenue.

(B) Commercial Purpose.—The acquisition of resources for display to the public, whether for

a fee or donation and whether by an individual or an organization, including a governmental entity, a private non-profit organization, or a private for-profit organization, shall be

considered to involve a “commercial purpose” for purposes of subsection (b)(4).

6. Pattern of Misconduct Enhancement Under Subsection (b)(5).—

(A) Definition.—For purposes of subsection (b)(5), “pattern of misconduct involving cultural heritage resources or paleontological resources” means two or more separate

instances of offense conduct involving a resource that did not occur during the course of the

offense (i.e., that did not occur during the course of the instant offense of conviction and all

relevant conduct under §1B1.3 (Relevant Conduct)). Offense conduct involving a resource

may be considered for purposes of subsection (b)(5) regardless of whether the defendant

was convicted of that conduct.

(B) Computation of Criminal History Points.—A conviction taken into account under subsection (b)(5) is not excluded from consideration of whether that conviction receives criminal history points pursuant to Chapter Four, Part A (Criminal History).

7. Dangerous Weapons Enhancement Under Subsection (b)(6).—For purposes of subsection (b)(6), “brandished” and “dangerous weapon” have the meaning given those terms in Application Note 1 of the Commentary to §1B1.1 (Application Instructions).

8. Multiple Counts.—For purposes of Chapter Three, Part D (Multiple Counts), multiple counts

involving offenses covered by this guideline are grouped together under subsection (d) of §3D1.2

(Groups of Closely Related Counts). Multiple counts involving offenses covered by this guideline

and offenses covered by other guidelines are not to be grouped under §3D1.2(d).

History

Effective November 1, 2002 (amendment 638). Amended effective November 1, 2006 (amendment 685); No- vember 1, 2007 (amendment 700); November 1, 2010 (amendments 745 and 746); November 1, 2014 (amend- ment 781); November 1, 2015 (amendment 791); November 1, 2018 (amendment 813); November 1, 2025 (amendment 836).

Provenance

Source
ussc.gov
Retrieved
2026-09-20
Edition
ussg-2025
Content hash
d7a0c4513bd08fb99598b9814dae933cacbf36c21bf36b64ec873bc51a322f11
View the official source →

The link goes to the issuing authority’s own document — the one we read to produce this record. Where a source publishes whole titles rather than sections, your browser may need a moment to jump to the provision.

Unofficial copy of government-published law, reproduced from official sources with full provenance. Not an official publication; verify against official sources before relying on it in a filing. Records in the 'guidance' corpus, and only that corpus, are sub-regulatory (interpretive guidelines, survey procedures) and are not binding law. Validity bounds follow each jurisdiction's declared temporalBasis.

Coverage · API docs

Bindinglaw

Point-in-time US law with the receipt attached. Source URL, retrieval time, content hash, and validity dates on every answer.

curl api.binding.law/v1/law/coverage

© 2026 binding.law · a Jubal, Inc. productAttorneys and firms never pay. Ever.
U.S.S.G. §2B1.5 — Theft of, Damage to, or Destruction… · binding.law