# Criminal Law (GCR)

## Title 9. Crimes Against Public Administration

### Subtitle 5. False Statements

#### Section 9-501

(a) A person may not make, or cause to be made, a statement, report, or complaint that the person knows to be false as a whole or in material part, to a law enforcement officer of the State, of a county, municipal corporation, or other political subdivision of the State, or of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Police with intent to deceive and to cause an investigation or other action to be taken as a result of the statement, report, or complaint.

(b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding $500 or both.

#### Section 9-501.1

(a)

  (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

  (2) "Emergency" means a condition that:

    (i) poses an imminent threat to public safety; and

    (ii) results in, or is likely to result in:

      (1) the response of a public official; or

      (2) the evacuation of an area, a building, a structure, a vehicle, or any other place.

  (3) "Governmental emergency report recipient" means:

    (i) a peace officer;

    (ii) a police agency of the State or a unit of local government;

    (iii) a person involved in the operation of a public safety answering point, as defined in Sec. 1-301 of the Public Safety Article; or

    (iv) any other government employee or contractor who is authorized to receive reports of a crime or an emergency.

(b)

  (1) A person may not make, or cause to be made, a statement, report, or complaint of an emergency or alleging the commission of a crime that the person knows to be false as a whole or in material part to a governmental emergency report recipient with reckless disregard of causing bodily harm to an individual as a direct result of a response to the statement, report, or complaint.

  (2) A person may not violate paragraph (1) of this subsection by making a false statement, report, or complaint alleging the commission of a crime if the result of the statement, report, or complaint is a response from law enforcement and serious physical injury to a person or the death of a person as a proximate result of lawful conduct arising out of the response.

(c)

  (1) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, a person who violates subsection (b)(1) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $2,000 or both.

  (2) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, a person who violates subsection (b)(2) of this section is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $20,000 or both.

  (3) A first-time violation of this section by a minor is a civil offense subject to the procedures and dispositions provided in Title 3, Subtitle 8A of the Courts Article.

  (4) In addition to any other penalty provided in this subsection, a court, in imposing a sentence on a person convicted of violating this section, may order the person to reimburse any individual who incurs damages as a proximate result of lawful conduct arising out of the response to the statement, report, or complaint.

(d) A person who violates this section may be charged, prosecuted, tried, and convicted in:

  (1) the county where the defendant made the false statement, report, or complaint;

  (2) the county in which the statement, report, or complaint was received by a governmental emergency report recipient; or

  (3) the county in which a governmental emergency report recipient responded to the statement, report, or complaint.

(e) In addition to any penalties under subsection (c) of this section, a person who violates this section is civilly liable to any individual who is injured as a result of the violation.

(f) This section may not be construed to conflict with 47 U.S.C. Sec. 230 or 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1983.

#### Section 9-502

(a) A person who is arrested by a law enforcement officer of the State, of a county, municipal corporation, or other political subdivision of the State, or of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Police may not knowingly, and with intent to deceive, make a false statement to a law enforcement officer concerning the person's identity, address, or date of birth.

(b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding $500 or both.

#### Section 9-503

(a) A person may not make, or cause to be made, a statement or report that the person knows to be false as a whole or in material part to an official or unit of the State or of a county, municipal corporation, or other political subdivision of the State that a crime has been committed or that a condition imminently dangerous to public safety or health exists, with the intent that the official or unit investigate, consider, or take action in connection with that statement or report.

(b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding $500 or both.

#### Section 9-504

(a) This section does not apply to a statement made or rumor circulated by an officer, employee, or agent of a bona fide civilian defense organization or unit, if made in the regular course of the person's duties.

(b) A person may not circulate or transmit to another, with intent that it be acted on, a statement or rumor that the person knows to be false about the location or possible detonation of a destructive device or the location or possible release of toxic material, as those terms are defined in Sec. 4-501 of this article.

(c) 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.

(d) A crime under this section committed using a telephone or other electronic means may be prosecuted in the county in which:

  (1) the communication originated;

  (2) the communication was received; or

  (3) the destructive device or toxic material was stated or was rumored to be located.

(e)

  (1) In addition to the penalty provided in subsection (c) of this section, a court may order a person convicted or found to have committed a delinquent act under this section to pay restitution to:

    (i) the State, county, municipal corporation, bicounty unit, multicounty unit, county board of education, public authority, or special taxing district for actual costs reasonably incurred in responding to a location and searching for a destructive device as a result of a violation of this section; and

    (ii) the owner or tenant of a property for the actual value of any goods, services, or income lost as a result of the evacuation of the property as a result of a violation of this section.

  (2) This subsection may not be construed to limit the right of a person to restitution under Title 11, Subtitle 6 of the Criminal Procedure Article.

  (3)

    (i) If the person convicted or found to have committed a delinquent act under this section is a minor, the court may order the minor, the minor's parent, or both to pay the restitution described in paragraph (1) of this subsection.

    (ii) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the provisions of Title 11, Subtitle 6 of the Criminal Procedure Article apply to an order of restitution under this paragraph.

(f) In addition to any other penalty authorized by law, if the person convicted or found to have committed a delinquent act under this section is a minor, the court may order the Motor Vehicle Administration to initiate an action, under the motor vehicle laws, to suspend the driving privilege of the minor for a specified period not to exceed:

  (1) for a first violation, 6 months; and

  (2) for each subsequent violation, 1 year or until the person is 21 years old, whichever is longer.

#### Section 9-505

(a) A person may not manufacture, possess, transport, or place:

  (1) a device or container that is labeled as containing or is intended to represent a toxic material, as defined in Sec. 4-501 of this article, with the intent to terrorize, frighten, intimidate, threaten, or harass; or

  (2) a device that is constructed to represent a destructive device, as defined in Sec. 4-501 of this article, with the intent to terrorize, frighten, intimidate, threaten, or harass.

(b) 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.

(c)

  (1) In addition to the penalty provided in subsection (b) of this section, a person convicted or found to have committed a delinquent act under this section may be ordered by the court to pay restitution to:

    (i) the State, county, municipal corporation, bicounty unit, multicounty unit, county board of education, public authority, or special taxing district for actual costs reasonably incurred as a result of a violation of this section; and

    (ii) the owner or tenant of a property for the actual value of any goods, services, or income lost as a result of the evacuation of the property as a result of a violation of this section.

  (2) This subsection may not be construed to limit the right of a person to restitution under Title 11, Subtitle 6 of the Criminal Procedure Article.

  (3)

    (i) If the person convicted or found to have committed a delinquent act in violation of this section is a minor, the court may order the minor, the minor's parent, or both to pay the restitution described in paragraph (1) of this subsection.

    (ii) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the provisions of Title 11, Subtitle 6 of the Criminal Procedure Article apply to an order of restitution under this paragraph.

(d) In addition to any other penalty authorized by law, if the person convicted or found to have committed a delinquent act under this section is a minor, the court may order the Motor Vehicle Administration to initiate an action, under the motor vehicle laws, to suspend the driving privilege of the minor for a specified period not to exceed:

  (1) for a first violation, 6 months; and

  (2) for each subsequent violation, 1 year or until the person is 21 years old, whichever is longer.

#### Section 9-506

(a) A person may not knowingly and willfully falsify or conceal a material fact in connection with an application for funds from the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

(b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both.

(c) The Maryland Higher Education Commission shall notify each applicant for funds of the conduct that constitutes a violation of this section before a State scholarship award or grant is awarded.

#### Section 9-507

The common-law crime of criminal defamation is repealed.

#### Section 9-508

(a) In this section, "financing statement" has the meaning stated in Sec. 9-102 of the Commercial Law Article.

(b) A person may not file a financing statement or an amendment to a financing statement that the person knows contains false information.

(c)

  (1) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $500.

  (2) Each act of filing a financing statement or an amendment to a financing statement is a separate violation.

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Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law (as displayed at mgaleg.maryland.gov, October 16, 2026)