[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 39, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 39CFR233.2]

[Page 61-63]
 
                        TITLE 39--POSTAL SERVICE
 
                 CHAPTER I--UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
 
PART 233--INSPECTION SERVICE AUTHORITY--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 233.2  Circulars and rewards.

    (a) Wanted circulars. The Inspection Service issues wanted circulars 
to assist in locating and arresting fugitive postal offenders. Post 
these circulars in the most conspicuous place in the post office lobby 
and in other prominent places. Post near the Notice of Reward sign. 
Telephone or telegraph immediately to the postal inspector in charge any 
information on the possible location of the person wanted. Remove and 
destroy circulars immediately when notified of their cancellation or 
when the circular is not listed in the periodic Postal Bulletin notices 
of current wanted circulars.
    (b) Rewards. (1) Rewards will be paid in the amounts and under the 
conditions stated in Poster 296, Notice of Reward, for the arrest and 
conviction of persons for the following postal offenses:
    (i) Robbery or attempted robbery.
    (ii) Mailing bombs, explosives, poison, or controlled substances.
    (iii) Post office burglary.
    (iv) Stealing or unlawful possession of mail or money or property of 
the United States under the custody or control of the Postal Service, 
including property of the Postal Service.
    (v) Destroying, obstructing or retarding the passage of mail.
    (vi) Altering, counterfeiting, forging, unlawful uttering or passing 
of postal money orders; or the unlawful use, counterfeiting or forgery 
of postage stamps or other postage; or the use, sale or possession with 
intent to use or sell, any forged or counterfeited postage stamp or 
other postage.
    (vii) Assault on postal employee.
    (viii) Murder or manslaughter of a postal employee.
    (ix) Mailing or receiving through the mail any visual depiction 
involving the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
    (x) Mailing or causing to be mailed any money which has been 
obtained illegally.
    (2) The postmaster or a designated employee should personally 
present reward notices to representatives of firms transporting mail, 
security or detective units of firms, police officers, sheriffs and 
their deputies, if practicable, and encourage their cooperation in 
protecting mail and Postal Service property. (See 273.14 of the 
Administrative Support Manual).

    Note: The text of Poster 296, referred to in paragraph (b)(1) of 
this section, reads as follows:
    The United States Postal Service offers a reward up to the amounts 
shown for information and services leading to the arrest and conviction 
of any person for the following offenses:
    Murder or Manslaughter, $100,000. The unlawful killing of any 
officer or employee of

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the Postal Service while engaged in or on account of the performance of 
their official duties.
    Assault on Postal Employees, $50,000. Forcibly assaulting any 
officer or employee of the Postal Service while engaged in or on account 
of the performance of their official duties.
    Bombs or Explosives, $100,000. Mailing or causing to be mailed any 
bombs or explosives which may kill or harm another, or injure the mails 
or other property, or the placing of any bomb or explosive in a postal 
facility, vehicle, depository or receptacle established, approved or 
designated by the Postmaster General for the receipt of mail.
    Postage or Meter Tampering, $50,000. The unlawful use, reuse, or 
forgery of postage stamps, postage meter stamps, permit imprints or 
other postage; or the use, sale or possession with intent to use or 
sell, any used, forged or counterfeited postage stamps or other postage.
    Robbery, $50,000. Robbery or attempted robbery of any custodian of 
any mail, or money or other property of the United States under the 
control and jurisdiction of the United States Postal Service.
    Burglary of Post Office, $10,000. Breaking into, or attempting to 
break into, a post office, station, branch, building used wholly or 
partly as a post office, or any building or area in a building where the 
business of the Postal Service is conducted, with intent to commit a 
larceny or other depredation therein.
    Money Laundering, $10,000. Mailing or causing to be mailed any money 
which has been illegally obtained.
    Offenses Involving Postal Money Orders, $10,000. Theft or possession 
of stolen money orders or any Postal Service equipment used to imprint 
money orders; or altering, counterfeiting, forging, unlawful uttering, 
or passing of postal money orders.
    Theft, Possession, Destruction, or Obstruction of Mail, $10,000. 
Theft or attempted theft of any mail, or the contents thereof, or the 
theft of money or any other property of the United States under the 
custody and control of the United States Postal Service from any 
custodian, postal vehicle, railroad depot, airport, or other transfer 
point, post office or station or receptacle or depository established, 
approved, or designated by the Postmaster General for the receipt of 
mail; or destroying, obstructing, or retarding the passage of mail, or 
any carrier or conveyance carrying the mail.
    Child Pornography, $50,000. The mailing or receiving through the 
mail of any visual depiction involving the use of a minor engaging in 
sexually explicit conduct.
    Poison, Controlled Dangerous Substances, Hazardous Materials, 
Illegal Drugs, or Cash Proceeds from Illegal Drugs, $50,000. Mailing or 
causing to be mailed any poison, controlled substances, hazardous 
materials, illegal drugs, or the proceeds from the sale of illegal 
drugs.

                            Related Offenses

    The United States Postal Service also offers rewards as stated above 
for information and services leading to the arrest and conviction of any 
person: (1) For being an accessory to any of the above crimes; (2) for 
receiving or having unlawful possession of any mail, money or property 
secured through the above crimes; and (3) for conspiracy to commit any 
of the above crimes.

                           General Provisions

    1. The Postal Inspection Service investigates the above described 
crimes. Information concerning the violations, requests for applications 
for rewards, and written claims for rewards should be furnished to the 
nearest Postal Inspector. The written claim for reward payment must be 
submitted within six months from the date of conviction of the offender, 
or the date of formally deferred prosecution or the date of the 
offender's death, if killed in committing a crime or resisting lawful 
arrest for one of the above offenses.
    2. The amount of any reward will be based on the significance of 
services rendered, character of the offender, risks and hazards 
involved, time spent, and expenses incurred. Amounts of rewards shown 
above are the maximum amounts which will be paid.
    3. The term ``custodian'' as used herein includes any person having 
lawful charge, control, or custody of any mail matter, or any money or 
other property of the United States under the control and jurisdiction 
of the United States Postal Service.
    4. The Postal Service reserves the right to reject a claim for 
reward where there has been collusion, criminal involvement, or improper 
methods have been used to effect an arrest or to secure a conviction. It 
has the right to allow only one reward when several persons were 
convicted of the same offense, or one person was convicted of several of 
the above offenses.
    5. Other rewards not specifically referred to in this notice may be 
offered upon the approval of the Chief Postal Inspection (39 U.S.C. 404 
(a)(8).


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    (c) The Chief Postal Inspector or his delegate is authorized to pay 
a reward to any person who provides information leading to the detection 
of persons or firms who obtain, or seek to obtain, funds, property, or 
services from the Postal Service based upon false or fraudulent 
activities, statements or claims. The decision as to whether a reward 
shall be paid and the amount thereof shall be solely within the 
discretion of the Chief Postal Inspector or his delegate and the 
submission of information or a claim for a reward shall not establish a 
contractual right to receive any reward. The reward shall not exceed 
one-half of the amount collected by the Postal Service as a result of 
civil or criminal proceedings to recover losses or penalties as a result 
of false or fraudulent claims or statements submitted to the Postal 
Service. Postal employees assigned to the Postal Inspection Service or 
the Law Department are not eligible to receive a reward under this 
section for information obtained while so employed. The Chief Inspector 
may establish such procedures and forms as may be desirable to give 
effect to this section including procedures to protect the identity of 
persons claiming rewards under this section.

[36 FR 4673, Mar. 12, 1971, as amended at 42 FR 43836, Aug. 31, 1977. 
Redesignated at 46 FR 34330, July 1, 1981, and amended at 47 FR 26832, 
June 22, 1982; 47 FR 46498, Oct. 19, 1982; 49 FR 15191, Apr. 18, 1984; 
54 FR 37795, Sept. 13, 1989; 55 FR 32251, Aug. 8, 1990; 59 FR 5326, Feb. 
4, 1994; 60 FR 54305, Oct. 23, 1995; 63 FR 52160, Sept. 30, 1998]