A person, with intent to defraud another, may not counterfeit, cause to be counterfeited, or willingly aid or assist in counterfeiting any: bond; check; deed; draft; endorsement or assignment of a bond, draft, check, or promissory note; entry in an account book or ledger; lease of real property; letter of credit; negotiable instrument; power of attorney; promissory note; release or discharge for money or property; rental agreement relating to real property; title to a motor vehicle; waiver or release of mechanics’ lien; or will or codicil. A person may not knowingly, willfully, and with fraudulent intent possess a counterfeit of any of the items listed in subsection (a) of this section. A person who violates subsection (a) of this section is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both. A person who violates subsection (b) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the prosecution of an alleged violation of this section or for an alleged violation of a crime based on an act that establishes a violation of this section may be commenced in any county in which: an element of the crime occurred; the deed or other alleged counterfeit instrument is recorded in the county land records, filed with the clerk of the circuit court, or filed with the register of wills; the victim resides; or if the victim is not an individual, the victim conducts business.

A person, with intent to defraud another, may not issue or publish as true a counterfeit instrument or document listed in § 8-601 of this subtitle. A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both.

A person may not knowingly possess, with unlawful intent, a counterfeit title to a motor vehicle. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both.

A person may not, with intent to defraud: manufacture United States currency; counterfeit, cause to be counterfeited, or willingly aid or assist in counterfeiting United States currency; or make, scan, record, reproduce, transmit, or have in the person’s control, custody, or possession an analog, digital, or electronic image of United States currency. A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both.

A person may not knowingly possess, with unlawful intent, or issue counterfeit United States currency. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both.

A person may not counterfeit, cause to be counterfeited, or willingly aid or assist in counterfeiting: a commission, patent, pardon, order for release, or other court document; or a warrant, certificate, or other public security from which money may be drawn from the treasury of the State. A person may not write, sign, or possess a counterfeit: commission, patent, pardon, order for release, or other court document; or warrant, certificate, or other public security from which money may be drawn from the treasury of the State. A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment for not less than 2 years and not exceeding 10 years.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. “Access” means to instruct, communicate with, store data in, or retrieve data from, or otherwise use equipment including computers and other data processing equipment or resources connected with computers or other data processing equipment. “Public record” includes an official book, paper, or record, kept on a manual or automated basis, that is created, received, or used by a unit of: the State; a political subdivision of the State; or a multicounty agency. A person may not or may not attempt to: willfully make a false entry in a public record; except under proper authority, willfully alter, deface, destroy, remove, or conceal a public record; or except under proper authority, willfully and intentionally access a public record. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both.

A person may not: forge, falsify, or counterfeit the signature of a judge, court officer, or court employee of the State; or use a document with a forged, false, or counterfeit signature of a judge, court officer, or other court employee of the State knowing the signature to be forged, false, or counterfeit. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both. A person who violates this section is subject to § 5–106(b) of the Courts Article.

In this section, “public seal” means: the great seal of the State; the seal of any court of the State; or any other public seal of the State. A person may not: counterfeit and use a public seal; steal a public seal; unlawfully and falsely, or with evil intent, affix a public seal to a deed, warrant, or writing; or have and willfully conceal a counterfeit public seal, if the person knows that it was counterfeited. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment for not less than 2 years and not exceeding 10 years. A person who violates this section is subject to § 5-106(b) of the Courts Article.

A person may not: counterfeit the stamp of the Comptroller; unlawfully use or steal the stamp of the Comptroller; unlawfully and falsely, or with evil intent, affix the stamp of the Comptroller to any written instrument; or have and willfully conceal a counterfeit stamp of the Comptroller, if the person knows that it was counterfeited. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment for not less than 2 years and not exceeding 10 years. A person who violates this section is subject to § 5-106(b) of the Courts Article.

In this section, “order for money or goods” means any writing, ordering, or requesting for the payment of money or the delivery of goods. A person may not: with intent to defraud another, cause or procure to be counterfeited, or willingly aid or assist in counterfeiting an order for money or goods; with intent to defraud another, issue, publish, or pass a counterfeit order for money or goods, if the person knows it was counterfeited; or knowingly and fraudulently obtain money or goods by means of a counterfeit order for money or goods. A person who violates this section is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment for not less than 2 years and not exceeding 10 years.

In this section, “prescription” includes an order, paper, and recipe purported to have been made by an authorized provider, as defined in § 5-101 of this article, for a drug, medicine, or alcoholic beverage. A person may not: knowingly counterfeit, cause or procure to be counterfeited, or willingly aid or assist in counterfeiting a prescription; knowingly issue, pass, or possess a counterfeit prescription; or obtain or attempt to obtain a prescription drug by fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 2 years. Payment or an offer or promise to pay for a drug, medicine, or alcoholic beverage obtained in violation of this section is not a defense to a violation of this section.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. “Counterfeit mark” means: an unauthorized copy of intellectual property; or intellectual property affixed to goods knowingly sold, offered for sale, manufactured, or distributed, to identify services offered or rendered, without the authority of the owner of the intellectual property. “Intellectual property” means a trademark, service mark, trade name, label, term, device, design, or word adopted or used by a person to identify the goods or services of the person. “Retail value” means: a trademark counterfeiter’s selling price for the goods or services that bear or are identified by the counterfeit mark; or a trademark counterfeiter’s selling price of the finished product, if the goods that bear a counterfeit mark are components of the finished product. “Trademark counterfeiter” means a person who commits the crime of trademark counterfeiting prohibited by this section. A person may not willfully manufacture, produce, display, advertise, distribute, offer for sale, sell, or possess with the intent to sell or distribute goods or services that the person knows are bearing or are identified by a counterfeit mark. If the aggregate retail value of the goods or services is $1,500 or more, a person who violates this section is guilty of the felony of trademark counterfeiting and on conviction: is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both; and shall transfer all of the goods to the owner of the intellectual property. If the aggregate retail value of the goods or services is less than $1,500, a person who violates this section is guilty of the misdemeanor of trademark counterfeiting and on conviction: is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $1,000 or both; and shall transfer all of the goods to the owner of the intellectual property. An action or prosecution for trademark counterfeiting in which the aggregate retail value of the goods or services is less than $1,500 shall be commenced within 2 years after the commission of the crime. Any goods bearing a counterfeit mark are subject to seizure by a law enforcement officer to preserve the goods for transfer to the owner of the intellectual property either: under an agreement with the person alleged to have committed the crime; or after a conviction under this section. State or federal registration of intellectual property is prima facie evidence that the intellectual property is a trademark or trade name.

In this section, “token” means a ticket, coupon, coin, disc, slug, or any other thing that: is evidence of the right of an individual to enter, leave, ride on, or pass through or over any thing or place for which a fee is charged, including a building, ground, public conveyance, vessel, or bridge; and is intended or designed to be inserted into a box or machine for the collection of fees or given to a collector. A person may not counterfeit or issue, or cause to be counterfeited or issued, or aid or assist in counterfeiting or issuing a token without the permission of the person who lawfully issues, sells, or gives away the token. A person may not issue or pass a token if the person knows that it was: counterfeited; or issued without the permission of the person who lawfully issues, sells, or gives away the token. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 1 year.

In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. “Service” includes the use of telephone or telegraph facilities, gas, electricity, or a musical instrument, phonograph, or other property. “Vending machine” includes a slot machine, pay telephone, or other receptacle designed to receive United States currency in connection with the sale or use of property or of a service. A person may not: operate, cause to be operated, or attempt to operate or cause to be operated a vending machine by a means not lawfully authorized by the owner, lessee, or licensee of the vending machine, including by means of a slug or by counterfeit, mutilated, sweated, or foreign currency; take, obtain, or receive from or in connection with a vending machine any property or service, without depositing into the vending machine United States currency in the amount required by the owner, lessee, or licensee of the vending machine; or manufacture for sale, sell, or give away a slug or device that is intended to be deposited in a vending machine if the person: intends to defraud the owner, lessee, licensee, or other person entitled to the contents of the vending machine; or knows that the slug or device is intended for unlawful use. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 months or a fine not exceeding $500 or both.