North Carolina General Statutes 78A-57. Criminal penalties
Attorney's Note
Under the N.C. Gen. Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class C felony | between 44 and 182 months | |
| Class H felony | between 4 and 25 months | |
| Class I felony | between 3 and 12 months | |
| Class 2 misdemeanor | up to 60 days | up to $1,000 |
Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 78A-57
- Administrator: means the Secretary of State. See North Carolina General Statutes 78A-2
- Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Person: means an individual, an entity, a partnership in which the interests of the partners are not evidenced by a security, a trust in which the interests of the beneficiaries are not evidenced by a security, or an unincorporated organization. See North Carolina General Statutes 78A-2
- Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
- State: means any state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. See North Carolina General Statutes 78A-2
- Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
(a) Any person who willfully violates any provision of this Chapter except N.C. Gen. Stat. § 78A-8, 78A-9, 78A-11, 78A-12, 78A-13, or 78A-14 is guilty of a Class I felony.
(a1) Any person who willfully violates any rule or order under this Chapter is guilty of a Class I felony. No person may be imprisoned for the violation of any rule if the person proves that the person had no knowledge of the rule. It is an affirmative defense to a charge of violating an order under this Chapter that the person had no knowledge of the order.
(a2) Any person who willfully violates N.C. Gen. Stat. § 78A-8, 78A-11, 78A-13, or 78A-14 is guilty of a felony. If the losses caused by a single act or a series of related acts in a common scheme or plan are one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) or more, the person is guilty of a Class C felony. If the losses caused by a single act or a series of related acts in a common scheme or plan are less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), the person is guilty of a Class H felony.
(a3) Any person who willfully violates N.C. Gen. Stat. § 78A-9 knowing the statement made to be false or misleading in any material respect is guilty of a Class H felony. Any other willful violation of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 78A-9 constitutes a Class 2 misdemeanor.
(a4) Any person who willfully violates N.C. Gen. Stat. § 78A-12 is guilty of a Class H felony.
(b) The Administrator may refer such evidence as is available concerning violations of this Chapter or of any rule or order hereunder to the proper district attorney, who may, with or without such a reference, institute the appropriate criminal proceedings under this Chapter. Upon receipt of a reference, the district attorney may request that a duly employed attorney of the Administrator prosecute or assist in the prosecution of the violation or violations on behalf of the State. Upon approval of the Administrator, the employee may be appointed a special prosecutor for the district attorney to prosecute or assist in the prosecution of the violations without receiving compensation from the district attorney. Such a special prosecutor shall have all the powers and duties prescribed by law for district attorneys and such other powers and duties as are lawfully delegated to the special prosecutor by the district attorney for violations of this Chapter.
(c) Nothing in this Chapter limits the power of the State to punish any person for any conduct which constitutes a crime by statute or at common law. (1925, c. 190, s. 23; 1927, c. 149, s. 23; 1955, c. 436, s. 10; 1971, c. 572, s. 2; 1973, c. 47, s. 2; c. 1380; 1987, c. 849, s. 7; 1991, c. 456, s. 6; 2001-436, s. 12; 2003-413, s. 11.)