exploited child
(1) Disclosure of returns and return information for use in criminal investigations (A) In general Except as provided in paragraph (6), any return or return information with respect to any specified taxable period or periods shall, pursuant to and upon the grant of an ex parte order by a Federal district court judge or magistrate judge under subparagraph (B), be open (but only to the extent necessary as provided in such order) to inspection by, or disclosure to, officers and employees of any Federal agency who are personally and directly engaged in— (i) preparation for any judicial or administrative proceeding pertaining to the enforcement of a specifically designated Federal criminal statute (not involving tax administration) to which the United States or such agency is or may be a party, or pertaining to the case of a missing or exploited child, (ii) any investigation which may result in such a proceeding, or (iii) any Federal grand jury proceeding pertaining to enforcement of such a criminal statute to which the United States or such agency is or may be a party, or to such a case of a missing or exploited child, solely for the use of such officers and employees in such preparation, investigation, or grand jury proceeding. (B) Application for order The Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, the Associate Attorney General, any Assistant Attorney General, any United States attorney, any special prosecutor appointed under section 593 of title 28 , United States Code, or any attorney in charge of a criminal division organized crime strike force established pursuant to section 510 of title 28 , United States Code, may authorize an application to a Federal district court judge or magistrate judge for the order referred to in subparagraph (A). Upon such application, such judge or magistrate judge may grant such order if he determines on the basis of the facts submitted by the applicant that— (i) there is reasonable cause to believe, based upon information believed to be reliable, that a specific criminal act has been committed, (ii) there is reasonable cause to believe that the return or return information is or may be relevant to a matter relating to the commission of such act, and (iii) the return or return information is sought exclusively for use in a Federal criminal investigation or proceeding concerning such act (or any criminal investigation or proceeding, in the case of a matter relating to a missing or exploited child), and the information sought to be disclosed cannot reasonably be obtained, under the circumstances, from another source. (C) Disclosure to state and local law enforcement agencies in the case of matters pertaining to a missing or exploited child (i) In general In the case of an investigation pertaining to a missing or exploited child, the head of any Federal agency, or his designee, may disclose any return or return information obtained under subparagraph (A) to officers and employees of any State or local law enforcement agency, but only if— (I) such State or local law enforcement agency is part of a team with the Federal agency in such investigation, and (II) such information is disclosed only to such officers and employees who are personally and directly engaged in such investigation. (ii) Limitation on use of information Information disclosed under this subparagraph shall be solely for the use of such officers and employees in locating the missing child, in a grand jury proceeding, or in any preparation for, or investigation which may result in, a judicial or administrative proceeding. (iii) Missing child For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “missing child” shall have the meaning given such term by section 403 of the Missing Children’s Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5772 ). (iv) Exploited child For purposes of this subparagraph, the term “exploited child” means a minor with respect to whom there is reason to believe that a specified offense against a minor (as defined by section 111(7) of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act ( 42 U.S.C. 16911(7) )) 1 has or is occurring.