The Lindbergh Law

The Federal Kidnapping Act of 1932, popularly known as the Lindbergh Law, was passed by the U.S. Congress in the wake of the Lindbergh baby kidnapping. It made transporting a kidnapping victim across state lines a federal offense punishable by death, giving the FBI jurisdiction over kidnapping cases nationwide. The law fundamentally transformed how America prosecuted abductions and served as the legal backbone for dozens of major kidnapping prosecutions throughout the 20th century.