§ 22–723. Tampering with physical evidence; penalty.

(a) A person commits the offense of tampering with physical evidence if, knowing or having reason to believe an official proceeding has begun or knowing that an official proceeding is likely to be instituted, that person alters, destroys, mutilates, conceals, or removes a record, document, or other object, with intent to impair its integrity or its availability for use in the official proceeding.

(b) Any person convicted of tampering with physical evidence shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, imprisoned for not more than 3 years, or both.

(Dec. 1, 1982, D.C. Law 4-164, § 503, 29 DCR 3976; July 15, 2004, D.C. Law 15-174, § 301, 51 DCR 3677; June 11, 2013, D.C. Law 19-317, § 205(cc), 60 DCR 2064.)

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 22-723.

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 15-174 rewrote subsec. (b) which had read as follows: “(b) Any person convicted of tampering with physical evidence shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than 3 years, or both.”

The 2013 amendment by D.C. Law 19-317 substituted “not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01” for “not more than $5,000” in (b).

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 205(cc) of the Criminal Fine Proportionality Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-45, April 1, 2013, 60 DCR 5400, 20 DCSTAT 1300).

Editor's Notes

Applicability of D.C. Law 19-317: Section 401 of D.C. Law 19-317 provided that the act shall apply only to offenses committed on or after June 11, 2013.