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§ 6-303. Public utility interference--Electrical equipment

West's Annotated Code of MarylandCriminal LawEffective: October 1, 2010

West's Annotated Code of Maryland
Criminal Law (Refs & Annos)
Title 6. Crimes Against Property
Subtitle 3. Malicious Destruction and Related Crimes
Effective: October 1, 2010
MD Code, Criminal Law, § 6-303
Formerly cited as MD CODE Art. 27, § 194
§ 6-303. Public utility interference--Electrical equipment
Currentness
Electric company defined
(a) In this section, “electric company” has the meaning stated in § 1-101 of the Public Utilities Article.
Scope of section
(b) This section does not apply to:
(1) an employee of or a person authorized by an electric company; and
(2) supervision and control of an electric company and its material, equipment, or facilities by the political subdivision within which the electric company is doing business.
Prohibited
(c) A person may not willfully:
(1) tamper or interfere with the material, equipment, or facilities of an electric company;
(2) make a connection with an electrical conductor to use the electricity; or
(3) tamper with a meter used to register electricity consumed.
Prima facie evidence of violation
(d) Prima facie evidence of intent to violate this section by a person who uses or directly benefits from the use or diversion of electricity includes:
(1) a connection, wire, conductor, meter alteration, or other device that diverts electricity without the electric current being registered by the meter installed by the electric company that supplies the electricity;
(2) the use of electricity supplied by an electric company without the electricity being registered on a meter that the electric company supplied; and
(3) a showing by a check or test meter used by the electric company that a customer uses more electricity than is registered on the meter that the electric company supplied for the customer's premises.
Penalty
(e) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding $500 or both.

Credits

Added by Acts 2002, c. 26, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2002. Amended by Acts 2002, c. 43, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2002; Acts 2010, c. 52, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2010.
Formerly Art. 27, § 194.
MD Code, Criminal Law, § 6-303, MD CRIM LAW § 6-303
Current through legislation effective through April 9, 2023, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
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