O66.2 Possession of Stolen Mail (Third Paragraph)

Official jury instruction text reproduced for information. It is not legal advice; the instruction given in a case depends on the facts and the court.

Instruction: O66.2
Statute: 18 U.S.C. § 1708
Edition: Eleventh Circuit Pattern Jury Instructions (Criminal Cases), revised July 2026
Official source: Official PDF, page 443

Elements

Quoted word for word from the official text. Eleventh Circuit Pattern Jury Instructions (Criminal Cases), revised July 2026.

The Defendant can be found guilty of this crime only if all the following facts are proved beyond a reasonable doubt:

(1) the [letter] [mail matter] described in the indictment was stolen from [the United States mail] [a post-office or post-office station] [a letter box] [a mail receptacle] [a mail route] [an authorized depository for mail matter] [a letter or mail carrier];

(2) the Defendant possessed the [letter] [mail matter] after it was stolen; and

(3) the Defendant knew that the [letter] [mail matter] was stolen.

Related practice page

Federal Mail Theft Charges in Miami

Official source: Official PDF, page 443

Official jury instruction text reproduced for information. It is not legal advice; the instruction given in a case depends on the facts and the court.