<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gcr" article_name="Criminal Law" number="7-303" title_number="7" title_name="Theft and Related Crimes" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Crimes Involving Telecommunications and Electronics">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Cable television company” means a franchised or private cable television company.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Cable television service” means:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>cable and satellite cable programming;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>service provided by or through the facility of a cable television system or a closed circuit coaxial cable communication system; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>a microwave, satellite, or similar transmission service used with a cable television system or a closed circuit coaxial cable communication system.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Destroying, damaging, cutting, tampering with, installing, tapping, removing, displacing, or connecting with a wire, conduit, apparatus, or other equipment of a cable television company is prima facie evidence of an intent to receive cable television services without payment.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Actual possession of a device designed to facilitate an act prohibited by this section, or possession and control of a quantity of those devices indicating possession for resale, is prima facie evidence of an intent to violate this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>A person may not:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>destroy, damage, cut, tamper with, install, tap, remove, displace, or connect with a wire, conduit, apparatus, or other equipment of a cable television company with the intent to receive cable television services without payment;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>prevent, obstruct, or delay the sending, conveyance, distribution, or receiving of programming material transmitted by a cable television company;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>with the intent to deprive a person of lawful compensation, receive, attempt to receive, or assist another to receive:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>cable television service by trick, use of a decoder, or other fraudulent means; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>satellite cable programming that is:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>offered for sale in the person’s area through an unauthorized marketing system; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>received by decoding encrypted satellite cable programming;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>without authority from the cable television company, connect with a cable, wire, component, or other device used to distribute cable television service;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>alter:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a device installed with the authorization of a cable television company to intercept or receive a program or service carried by the company; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>equipment capable of decoding encrypted satellite cable programming to intercept or receive satellite cable programming; or</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>sell, rent, or offer for sale or rent a device or a plan for a device knowing that the recipient intends to use the device or to plan to do an act prohibited by this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>for a first violation, imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>for each subsequent violation, imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $2,500 or both.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A person who commits an act prohibited by this section for payment or offer of payment is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>A cable television company may bring an action to enjoin a violation of this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>In addition to the penalties under subsection (d) of this section, a person who violates subsection (c)(3) or (6) of this section is liable to the aggrieved cable television company for all appropriate civil damages awarded by a court.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>A device used to violate this section is subject to seizure by and forfeiture to the State.</text>
  </level>
</section>
