18 U.S.C. § 3261

Current through P.L. 118-40 (published on www.congress.gov on 03/01/2024)
Section 3261 - Criminal offenses committed by certain members of the Armed Forces and by persons employed by or accompanying the Armed Forces outside the United States
(a) Whoever engages in conduct outside the United States that would constitute an offense punishable by imprisonment for more than 1 year if the conduct had been engaged in within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States-
(1) while employed by or accompanying the Armed Forces outside the United States; or
(2) while a member of the Armed Forces subject to chapter 47 of title 10 (the Uniform Code of Military Justice),

shall be punished as provided for that offense.

(b) No prosecution may be commenced against a person under this section if a foreign government, in accordance with jurisdiction recognized by the United States, has prosecuted or is prosecuting such person for the conduct constituting such offense, except upon the approval of the Attorney General or the Deputy Attorney General (or a person acting in either such capacity), which function of approval may not be delegated.
(c) Nothing in this chapter may be construed to deprive a court-martial, military commission, provost court, or other military tribunal of concurrent jurisdiction with respect to offenders or offenses that by statute or by the law of war may be tried by a court-martial, military commission, provost court, or other military tribunal.
(d) No prosecution may be commenced against a member of the Armed Forces subject to chapter 47 of title 10 (the Uniform Code of Military Justice) under this section unless-
(1) such member ceases to be subject to such chapter; or
(2) an indictment or information charges that the member committed the offense with one or more other defendants, at least one of whom is not subject to such chapter.

18 U.S.C. § 3261

Added Pub. L. 106-523, §2(a), Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2488.

STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

SHORT TITLE OF 2000 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 106-523, §1, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2488, provided that: "This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the 'Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act of 2000'."

accompanying the Armed Forces outside the United States
The term "accompanying the Armed Forces outside the United States" means-(A) a dependent of-(i) a member of the Armed Forces;(ii) a civilian employee of the Department of Defense (including a nonappropriated fund instrumentality of the Department); or(iii) a Department of Defense contractor (including a subcontractor at any tier) or an employee of a Department of Defense contractor (including a subcontractor at any tier);(B) residing with such member, civilian employee, contractor, or contractor employee outside the United States; and(C) not a national of or ordinarily resident in the host nation.