Legal Definitions - Fugitive Felon Act

The Fugitive Felon Act is a federal law that makes it a serious crime (a felony) for an individual to travel across state borders with the specific intention of avoiding prosecution or imprisonment for a state-level felony offense. It also applies to individuals who cross state lines to avoid testifying as a witness in a state felony case.

Here are some examples to illustrate how the Fugitive Felon Act applies:

• Example 1: Avoiding Prosecution

  Imagine a person named Alex who is facing charges for felony embezzlement in Texas. Before his trial date, Alex sells his house and drives across the state line into Oklahoma, intending to start a new life and evade the Texas authorities. Because Alex intentionally crossed state lines to avoid prosecution for a state felony, his actions would likely violate the Fugitive Felon Act.

• Example 2: Avoiding Confinement

  Consider Maria, who has been convicted of felony armed robbery in a California state court and is serving her sentence in a state correctional facility. She manages to escape from prison and immediately travels by train to Oregon, hoping to avoid being recaptured and returned to serve the remainder of her sentence. Maria's act of fleeing across state lines to avoid her state felony confinement would fall under the Fugitive Felon Act.

• Example 3: Avoiding Testimony

  Suppose John is a crucial witness in a felony assault case in New York. He has received a subpoena requiring him to testify, but he fears retribution from the defendant. The day before he is scheduled to appear in court, John flies to Pennsylvania to avoid giving his testimony. John's deliberate travel across state lines to avoid testifying in a state felony case would constitute a violation of the Fugitive Felon Act.