In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. “Coercion” includes actual or threatened: use of physical force against an individual; restraint, abduction, isolation, or confinement of an individual against the individual’s will and without lawful authority; control or direction of the activity of an individual through debt bondage; destruction, concealment, removal, confiscation, withholding, or possession of an actual or purported passport, immigration document, or governmental identification document of an individual; infliction of serious psychological harm to an individual; control of an individual’s access to a controlled dangerous substance; exposure or dissemination of any fact or information that would tend to subject an individual to criminal or immigration proceedings; notification to an agency or unit of the State or federal government that an individual is present in the United States in violation of federal immigration law; and exploitation of a vulnerable adult. “Controlled dangerous substance” has the meaning stated in § 5–101 of this article. “Debt bondage” means the status or condition of an individual who provides labor, services, or sex acts to pay a real or alleged debt, where: the value of the labor, services, or sex act is not applied toward the liquidation of the debt; the nature of the labor, services, or sex act is not limited or defined; or the amount of the debt does not reasonably reflect the value of items, services, or other things of value for which the debt was incurred. “Vulnerable adult” has the meaning stated in § 3–604 of this article.

A person may not knowingly: take, place, harbor, persuade, induce, or entice another by force, fraud, or coercion to provide services or labor; or receive a benefit or thing of value from the provision of services or labor by another that was induced by force, fraud, or coercion. A person may not aid or conspire with another to commit a violation of subsection (a) of this section. A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 25 years or a fine not exceeding $15,000 or both.

A State’s Attorney or the Attorney General may investigate and prosecute a violation of this subtitle or a violation of any crime based on the act establishing a violation of this subtitle. If the Attorney General exercises authority under subsection (a) of this section, the Attorney General has all the powers and duties of a State’s Attorney to investigate and prosecute the violation.