Explain like I’m five and foreign, what is the importance of crossing state lines in convictions that they mention it? For example,
22-year-old Matthias Jacob Edward Mann was arrested by the FBI at his family’s home in Hartselle, Alabama Thursday morning. His charges include attempted kidnapping and attempting to entice someone to cross state lines to commit a sexual crime.
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One thing that is missing in the comments so far regarding the Federal vs State charges is the interstate commerce clause. Sometimes the crime is not about whether or not you PHYSICALLY crossed state lines, but if the crime somehow involved activity that crossed state lines. I could remain in State A where marijuana is legal for example, and as long as everything I have done surrounding my purchase, use, etc of marijuana is done within that state under that state’s laws no one can touch me. The moment I do something (i.e. acquire something that violates Federal drug laws) from outside the borders of State A, I can be charged with a Federal crime even though I never left.
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