Obscene Telephone Communications

Broadcasting Obscene Material for a Commercial Purpose; (a) Base Offense Level: 12 (b) Specific Offense Characteristics (1) If a person who received the telephonic communication was less than eighteen years of age, or if a broadcast was made between six o’clock in the morning and eleven o’clock at night, increase by 4 levels. (2) If 6 plus the offense level from the table in §2B1.1 (Theft, Property Destruction, and Fraud) corresponding to the volume of commerce at- tributable to the defendant is greater than the offense level deter- mined above, increase to that offense level. Statutory Provisions: 18 U.S.C. §§ 1464, 1468; 47 U.S.C. § 223(b)(1)(A). Commentary Background: Subsection (b)(1) provides an enhancement where an obscene telephonic communica- tion was received by a minor less than 18 years of age or where a broadcast was made during a time when such minors were likely to receive it. Subsection (b)(2) provides an enhancement for large-scale “dial-a-porn” or obscene broadcasting operations that results in an offense level comparable to the offense level for such operations under §2G3.1 (Importing, Mailing, or Transporting Obscene Matter; Transferring Obscene Matter to a Minor). The extent to which the obscene material was distributed is approximated by the volume of commerce attributable to the defendant. Historical Note Effective November 1, 1989 (amendment 164). Amended effective November 1, 2000 (amendment 592); No- vember 1, 2001 (amendment 617). A former §2G3.2 (Obscene or Indecent Telephone Communications), ef- fective November 1, 1987, was deleted effective November 1, 1989 (amendment 164). 230 ║ Guidelines Manual (November 1, 2024) §2H1.1 PART H ― OFFENSES INVOLVING INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS 1. CIVIL RIGHTS Historical Note Introductory Commentary to Part H, Subpart 1, effective November 1, 1987, was deleted effective Novem- ber 1, 1995 (amendment 521).