Elements of Accessory After the Fact.

• A. someone committed a federal crime
• B. defendant knew crime was committed
• C. defendant willfully assisted in preventing apprehension/trial/punishment
• D. all of the above

Answer: (D)

Accessory after the fact requires three elements working together: there has to be a crime by someone, the person charged must know that the crime was committed, and the person must actively and intentionally assist the offender to avoid arrest, trial, or punishment. The first element confirms there was a criminal act to respond to; without a crime, there’s nothing to aid. The second shows the mental state—the helper knows a crime occurred, not just that someone did something wrong. The third is the actionable part—the assistance must be deliberate and aimed at preventing apprehension or punishment. When all three are present, the charge fits, which is why “all of the above” is the best choice. If any element were missing, the accessory charge wouldn’t attach—for example, if there was no knowledge of the crime, or the help wasn’t directed at avoiding consequences, or there was no crime at all.