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§ 3-308. Sexual offense in the fourth degree

West's Annotated Code of MarylandCriminal LawEffective: March 27, 2019

West's Annotated Code of Maryland
Criminal Law (Refs & Annos)
Title 3. Other Crimes Against the Person
Subtitle 3. Sexual Crimes (Refs & Annos)
Effective: March 27, 2019
MD Code, Criminal Law, § 3-308
Formerly cited as MD CODE Art. 27, § 464C
§ 3-308. Sexual offense in the fourth degree
“Person in a position of authority” defined
(a) In this section, “person in a position of authority”:
(1) means a person who:
(i) is at least 21 years old;
(ii) is employed by or under contract with a public or private preschool, elementary school, or secondary school; and
(iii) because of the person's position or occupation, exercises supervision over a minor who attends the school; and
(2) includes a principal, vice principal, teacher, coach, or school counselor at a public or private preschool, elementary school, or secondary school.
Prohibited--In general
(b) A person may not engage in:
(1) sexual contact with another without the consent of the other;
(2) except as provided in § 3-307(a)(4) of this subtitle, a sexual act with another if the victim is 14 or 15 years old, and the person performing the sexual act is at least 4 years older than the victim; or
(3) except as provided in § 3-307(a)(5) of this subtitle, vaginal intercourse with another if the victim is 14 or 15 years old, and the person performing the act is at least 4 years older than the victim.
Prohibited--Persons in a position of authority
(c)(1) Except as provided in § 3-307(a)(4) of this subtitle or subsection (b)(2) of this section, a person in a position of authority may not engage in a sexual act or sexual contact with a minor who, at the time of the sexual act or sexual contact, is a student enrolled at a school where the person in a position of authority is employed.
(2) Except as provided in § 3-307(a)(5) of this subtitle or subsection (b)(3) of this section, a person in a position of authority may not engage in vaginal intercourse with a minor who, at the time of the vaginal intercourse, is a student enrolled at a school where the person in a position of authority is employed.
Penalty
(d)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a person who violates this section is guilty of the misdemeanor of sexual offense in the fourth degree and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both.
(2)(i) On conviction of a violation of this section, a person who has been convicted on a prior occasion not arising from the same incident of a violation of § 3-303, § 3-304, §§ 3-307 through 3-310 of this subtitle, § 3-311 or § 3-312 of this subtitle as the sections existed before October 1, 2017, § 3-315 of this subtitle, or § 3-602 of this title is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both.
(ii) If the State intends to proceed against a person under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, it shall comply with the procedures set forth in the Maryland Rules for the indictment and trial of a subsequent offender.

Credits

Added by Acts 2002, c. 26, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2002. Amended by Acts 2004, c. 217, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2004; Acts 2006, c. 317, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2006; Acts 2011, c. 192, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2011; Acts 2011, c. 193, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2011; Acts 2014, c. 170, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2014; Acts 2017, c. 161, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2017; Acts 2017, c. 162, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2017; Acts 2019, c. 8, § 5.
Formerly Art. 27, § 464C.
MD Code, Criminal Law, § 3-308, MD CRIM LAW § 3-308
Current with legislation effective through June 1, 2023, from the 2023 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
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