SB 698 Text

Introduced Version Senate Bill 698 History

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sb698 intr Senate Bill No. 698
(By Senators Caruth and Minard)
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[Introduced March 21, 2005; referred to the Committee
on the Judiciary.]
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A BILL to amend and reenact §61-3-24 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to providing an enhanced criminal penalty for obtaining money, property and services by false pretenses from persons sixty-five years of age and older.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §61-3-24 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 3. CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY.

§61-3-24. Obtaining money, property and services by false pretenses; disposing of property to defraud creditors; penalties; enhanced penalties if victim sixty-five years of age or older.

(a) (1) If a person obtains from another by any false pretense, token or representation, with intent to defraud, any money, goods or other property which may be the subject of larceny; or
(2) If a person obtains on credit from another any money, goods or other property which may be the subject of larceny, by representing that there is money due him or her or to become due him or her, and assigns the claim for such money, in writing, to the person from whom he or she obtains such money, goods or other property and afterwards collects the money due or to become due, without the consent of the assignee and with the intent to defraud;
(3) ~~Such~~ That person is guilty of larceny. If the value of the money, goods or other property is one thousand dollars or more, ~~such~~ the person is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in ~~the penitentiary~~ a state correctional facility not less than one year nor more than ten years or, in the discretion of the court, be confined in ~~the county or regional~~ jail not more than one year ~~and~~ or be fined not more than two thousand five hundred dollars, or both fined and imprisoned: Provided, That if the person against whom the larceny was committed is sixty-five years of age or older, the person shall be confined in a state correctional facility not less than three years nor more than fifteen years or be fined not more than five thousand dollars, or both fined and imprisoned. If the value of the money, goods or other property is less than one thousand dollars, ~~such~~ the person is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in ~~the county or regional~~ jail not more than one year or fined not more than two thousand five hundred dollars, or both fined and imprisoned.
(b) If a person obtains by any false pretense, token or representation, with intent to defraud, the signature of another to a writing, the false making of which would be forgery, the person is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in ~~the penitentiary~~ a state correctional facility not less than one year nor more than five years or, in the discretion of the court, be confined in jail not more than one year ~~and~~ or fined not more than two thousand five hundred dollars, or both fined and imprisoned.
(c) (1) If a person removes any of his or her property out of any county with the intent to prevent the same from being levied upon by any execution; or
(2) If a person secretes, assigns or conveys or otherwise disposes of any of his or her property with the intent to defraud any creditor or to prevent the property from being made liable for payment of debts; or
(3) If a person receives the property of another with the intent to defraud any creditor or to prevent the property from being made liable for the payment of debts;
(4) The person is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than two thousand five hundred dollars ~~and~~ or be confined in ~~a county or regional~~ jail not more than one year, or both fined and imprisoned.
(d) If a person, firm or corporation obtains labor, services or any other ~~such~~ thing of value from another by any false pretense, token or representation, with intent to defraud, the person, firm or corporation is guilty of theft of services. If the value of the labor, services or any other such thing of value is one thousand dollars or more, the person, firm or corporation is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in ~~the penitentiary~~ a state correctional facility not less than one year nor more than ten years or, in the discretion of the court, be confined in jail not more than one year ~~and~~ or be fined not more than two thousand five hundred dollars, or both fined and imprisoned. If the value of the labor, services or any other ~~such~~ thing of value is less than one thousand dollars, the person, firm or corporation is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in jail not more than one year or fined not more than two thousand five hundred dollars, or both ~~in the discretion of the court~~ fined and imprisoned.
(e) Theft of services includes the obtaining of a stop payment order on a check, draft or order for payment of money owed for services performed in good faith and in substantial compliance with a written or oral contract for services, with the fraudulent intent to permanently deprive the provider of ~~such~~ labor, services or other ~~such~~ thing of value of the payment represented by ~~such~~ check, draft or order. Notwithstanding the penalties set forth elsewhere in this section, any person, firm or corporation violating the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than two times the face value of the check, draft or order.
(f) Prosecution for an offense under this section does not bar or otherwise affect adversely any right or liability to damages, forfeiture or other civil remedy arising from any or all elements of the criminal offense.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide an enhanced criminal penalty for obtaining money, property and services by false pretenses from persons sixty-five years of age and older.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.