South Carolina Code 23-50-50. Unauthorized divulgence of protected information by council or crimestoppers organization employee; penalty
Current as of: 2023 | Check for updates
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(A) A person who is a member or employee of the council, a crimestoppers organization, or a law enforcement agency who has knowledge of, or the contents of, or both of (1) a privileged communication, (2) protected information, or (3) a protected identity, or all three, commits an offense if the person intentionally or knowingly divulges to a person not employed by a law enforcement agency the content or existence of (1) a privileged communication, (2) protected information, or (3) a protected identity, or all three, without the consent of the person who made the privileged communication.
For details, see § 16-1-20
(B) An offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars or up to one year in jail, or both, for each occurrence. However, an offense under this section is a Class F felony punishable by not more than five years imprisonment if the offense is committed with intent to obtain monetary gain or other benefit.
Attorney's Note
Under the South Carolina Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class F felony | up to 5 years |
Terms Used In South Carolina Code 23-50-50
- Council: means the South Carolina Crimestoppers Council. See South Carolina Code 23-50-15
- Crimestoppers organization: means a private, nonprofit corporation that is organized under the laws of South Carolina that is operated on a local or statewide level, that accepts and expends donations for rewards to persons who report to the organization information about suspected criminal activity, that forwards the information to the appropriate law enforcement agency, is a member of the council, and that is qualified to receive reimbursed funds pursuant to § 23-50-30. See South Carolina Code 23-50-15
- Privileged communication: means a statement by any person, in any manner whatsoever, to a crimestoppers organization or to the council for the purpose of reporting alleged criminal activity and a communication from a crimestoppers organization or the council relaying the information received to a law enforcement agency. See South Carolina Code 23-50-15
- Protected identity: means the identity of any person reporting suspected criminal activity to a crimestoppers organization or to the council. See South Carolina Code 23-50-15
- Protected information: means any records, oral, written, or recorded statements, papers, documents, or any materials utilized by a crimestoppers organization or the council in reporting suspected criminal activity or in processing such information, whether such information is in the possession of a crimestoppers organization, the council, or a law enforcement agency receiving such information from a crimestoppers organization or the council. See South Carolina Code 23-50-15
(C) Disclosing information pursuant to a valid court order is not an offense under this section.