MARYLAND LAWYERS DEFENDING KIDNAPPING & STALKING & EXTORTION CHARGES
DEFENDING CLIENTS IN MARYLAND STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS
The Maryland kidnapping, stalking & extortion attorneys of SRIS, P.C. pride themselves in being aggressive trial lawyers. Rarely is there a situation when a client needs nothing less than an aggressive criminal lawyer than when one is charged with either a kidnapping, stalking or extortion in Maryland. The penalties in Maryland for kidnapping, stalking or extortion are incredibly severe. The prosecuting attorney in Maryland will generally pursue charges of this nature very strongly and the Maryland Courts will take a very harsh position if the person is convicted of kidnapping, stalking or extortion and is going to be sentenced by the Court. We have two offices in Maryland. The Maryland law offices of SRIS, P.C. have a number of excellent Maryland kidnapping defense attorneys, stalking defense lawyers & extortion defense attorneys with offices in Rockville and Baltimore. If you wish to consult with a Maryland criminal defense lawyer of SRIS, P.C., please contact us via email or our toll free number. Our Maryland attorneys will be glad to discuss with you as to how they can best assist you.
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To learn more about the laws pertaining to abduction and kidnapping in Virginia or Massachusetts, please click on the state.
Below are some of the Maryland Kidnapping, Stalking or Extortion Laws.
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Kidnapping
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Child kidnapping
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Extortion generally
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Extortion by State or local government officer or employee
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Inducing another to give up compensation
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Extortion by false accusation
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Extortion by verbal threat
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Extortion by written threat
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Coercing or intimidating another to contribute or donate
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Threat against State or local official
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Stalking
Maryland Law § 3-502. Kidnapping (top)
Prohibited
(a) A person may not, by force or fraud, carry or cause a person to be carried in or outside the State with the intent to have the person carried or concealed in or outside the State.
Penalty
(b) A person who violates this section is guilty of the felony of kidnapping and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 30 years.
Exception
(c) Kidnapping does not include the act of a parent in carrying a minor child of that parent in or outside the State.
Maryland Law § 3-503. Child kidnapping (top)
Prohibited
(a)(1) A person may not, without color of right:
(i) forcibly abduct, take, or carry away a child under the age of 12 years from:
1. the home or usual place of abode of the child; or
2. the custody and control of the child’s parent or legal guardian;
(ii) without the consent of the child’s parent or legal guardian, persuade or entice a child under the age of 12 years from:
1. the child’s home or usual place of abode; or
2. the custody and control of the child’s parent or legal guardian; or
(iii) with the intent of depriving the child’s parent or legal guardian, or any person lawfully possessing the child, of the custody, care, and control of the child, knowingly secrete or harbor a child under the age of 12 years.
(2) In addition to the prohibitions provided under paragraph (1) of this subsection, a person may not, by force or fraud, kidnap, steal, take, or carry away a child under the age of 16 years.
Penalty
(b)(1) A person who violates subsection (a)(1) of this section is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 20 years.
(2)(i) Except as provided under subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, a person, other than a parent of the child, who violates subsection (a)(2) of this section is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 30 years.
(ii) 1. If a person convicted under subsection (a)(2) of this section is convicted in the same proceeding of rape or a first degree sexual offense under Subtitle 3 of this title, the person is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding life without the possibility of parole.
2. If the State intends to seek a sentence of imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole under sub-subparagraph 1 of this subparagraph, the State shall notify the person in writing of the State’s intent at least 30 days before trial.
Maryland Law § 3-701. Extortion generally (top)
Scope of section
(a) This section does not apply to legitimate efforts by employees or their representatives to obtain certain wages, hours, or working conditions.
Obtaining or attempting to obtain property prohibited
(b) A person may not obtain or attempt to obtain money, property, or anything of value from another person with the person’s consent, if the consent is induced by wrongful use of actual or threatened force or violence, or by wrongful threat of economic injury.
Penalty–Property value of $500 or more
(c) If the value of the property is $500 or more, a person who violates this section is guilty of the felony of extortion and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both
Penalty–Property value less than $500
(d) If the value of the property is less than $500, a person who violates this section is guilty of the misdemeanor of extortion and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 18 months or a fine not exceeding $500 or both.
Limitation
(e) A prosecution for a felony under this section shall be instituted within 5 years after the crime was committed.
Maryland Law § 3-702. Extortion by State or local government officer or employee (top)
“Political subdivision” defined
(a) In this section, “political subdivision” includes a:
(1) county;
(2) municipal corporation;
(3) bicounty or multicounty agency;
(4) county board of education;
(5) public authority; or
(6) special taxing district.
Prohibited
(b) An officer or employee of the State or of a political subdivision may not wrongfully obtain or attempt to obtain money, property, or anything of value from a person with the person’s consent, if the consent is obtained under color or pretense of office, under color of official right, or by wrongful use of actual or threatened force or violence.
Penalty–Property value of $500 or more
(c) If the value of the property is $500 or more, a person who violates this section:
(1) is guilty of the felony of extortion and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both; and
(2) notwithstanding any pardon, shall be barred permanently from employment by the State or by a political subdivision.
Penalty–Property value of less than $500
(d) If the value of the property is less than $500, a person who violates this section is guilty of the misdemeanor of extortion and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding $500 or both.
Limitation
(e) A prosecution for a felony under this section shall be instituted within 5 years after the crime was committed.
Maryland Law § 3-703. Inducing another to give up compensation (top)
Prohibited
(a) An officer or employee of the State or of a county, municipal corporation, bicounty agency, or multicounty agency may not, by force, intimidation, or threat, induce a person employed in work financed wholly or partly by the State or by a county, municipal corporation, bicounty agency, or multicounty agency to give up any compensation to which the person is entitled under a contract or otherwise.
Penalty
(b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both.
Limitation
(c) A prosecution for a crime under this section shall be instituted within 5 years after the crime was committed.
Maryland Law § 3-704. Extortion by false accusation (top)
Prohibited
(a) A person, with the intent to unlawfully extort money, property, or anything of value from another, may not falsely accuse or threaten to falsely accuse another of a crime or of anything that, if the accusation were true, would tend to bring the other into contempt or disrepute.
Penalty
(b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both.
Maryland Law § 3-705. Extortion by verbal threat (top)
Prohibited
(a) A person, with the intent to unlawfully extort money, property, or anything of value from another, may not verbally threaten to:
(1) accuse any person of a crime or of anything that, if true, would bring the person into contempt or disrepute; or
(2)(i) cause physical injury to a person;
(ii) inflict emotional distress on a person;
(iii) cause economic damage to a person; or
(iv) cause damage to the property of a person.
Penalty
(b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both.
Maryland Law § 3-706. Extortion by written threat (top)
Scope of section
(a)(1) This section applies to any writing, whether or not the writing is signed, or if the writing is signed, whether or not it is signed with a fictitious name or any other mark or designation.
(2) This section does not apply to a good faith reasonable notice of dishonor and warning of criminal prosecution under Title 8, Subtitle 1 of this article given by a holder of an instrument to the maker of the instrument.
Prohibited
(b) A person, with the intent to unlawfully extort money, property, or anything of value from another, may not knowingly send or deliver, or make for the purpose of being sent or delivered and part with the possession of, a writing threatening to:
(1) accuse any person of a crime or of anything that, if true, would bring the person into contempt or disrepute; or
(2)(i) cause physical injury to a person;
(ii) inflict emotional distress on a person;
(iii) cause economic damage to a person; or
(iv) cause damage to the property of a person.
Penalty
(c) A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both.
Maryland Law § 3-707. Coercing or intimidating another to contribute or donate (top)
Effect of section
(a) This section does not prohibit picketing in connection with a labor dispute, as defined in § 4-301 of the Labor and Employment Article.
Prohibited
(b) A person or group may not engage in an act or conduct solely to coerce or intimidate another person to contribute or donate any money, goods, materials, or services to a social, economic, or political association or organization.
Penalty
(c)(1) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 90 days or a fine not exceeding $100 or both.
(2) Each day on which a violation of this section occurs is a separate violation.
Maryland Law § 3-708. Threat against State or local official (top)
Definitions
(a)(1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2) “Local official” means an individual serving in a publicly elected office of a local government unit, as defined in § 10-101 of the State Government Article.
(3)(i) “State official” has the meaning stated in § 15-102 of the State Government Article.
(ii) “State official” includes the Governor, Governor-elect, Lieutenant Governor, and Lieutenant Governor-elect.
(4) “Threat” includes:
(i) an oral threat; or
(ii) a threat in any written form, whether or not the writing is signed, or if the writing is signed, whether or not it is signed with a fictitious name or any other mark.
Prohibited–Making threat
(b) A person may not knowingly and willfully make a threat to take the life of, kidnap, or cause physical injury to a State official or local official.
Prohibited–Sending or delivering threat
(c) A person may not knowingly send, deliver, part with, or make for the purpose of sending or delivering a threat prohibited under subsection (b) of this section.
Penalty
(d) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $2,500 or both.
Maryland Law § 3-802. Stalking (top)
Stalking” defined
(a) In this section, “stalking” means a malicious course of conduct that includes approaching or pursuing another where the person intends to place or knows or reasonably should have known the conduct would place another in reasonable fear:
(1)(i) of serious bodily injury;
(ii) of an assault in any degree;
(iii) of rape or sexual offense as defined by §§ 3-303 through 3-308 of this article or attempted rape or sexual offense in any degree;
(iv) of false imprisonment; or
(v) of death; or
(2) that a third person likely will suffer any of the acts listed in item (1) of this subsection.
Scope of section
(b) The provisions of this section do not apply to conduct that is:
(1) performed to ensure compliance with a court order;
(2) performed to carry out a specific lawful commercial purpose; or
(3) authorized, required, or protected by local, State, or federal law.
Prohibited
(c) A person may not engage in stalking.
Penalty
(d) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both.
Sentence
(e) A sentence imposed under this section may be separate from and consecutive to or concurrent with a sentence for any other crime based on the acts establishing a violation of this section.
Our Maryland kidnapping, stalking & extortion defense attorneys and staff speak the following languages in addition to English: Spanish, French, Arabic, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Cantonese, Mandarin & Malaysian.
