The Dyer Act, also called the National Motor Vehicle Theft Act (18 U.S.C.A. § 2311 et seq.), was enacted in 1919 to impede the interstate trafficking of stolen vehicles by organized thieves.
There are three elements that must be established Beyond a Reasonable Doubt if an accused is to be convicted of the offense: (1) a vehicle is stolen, (2) the defendant knows that the vehicle is stolen, and (3) the defendant transports the vehicle in interstate or foreign commerce. A person who aids and abets in the commission of this offense is equally culpable as a principal who has actually committed the crime.
The punishment for conviction under the Dyer Act is an unspecified fine, imprisonment of no longer than ten years, or both.