Definition of Criminal Offenses Under Maine Law
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Assault
A person is guilty of assault if the person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes bodily injury or offensive physical contact to another person. Title 17-A, 207, 1. Assault is usually a Class D crime.
Aggravated assault
A person is guilty of aggravated assault if the person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes serious bodily injury to another, or bodily injury to another with use of a dangerous weapon; or bodily injury to another under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life. Such circumstances include, but are not limited to, the number, location or nature of the injuries, the manner or method inflicted or the observable physical condition of the victim. Title 17-A, 208, 1. Aggravated assault is a Class B crime.
Arson
A person is guilty of arson if the person starts, causes, or maintains a fire or explosion on the property of another with the intent to damage or destroy property thereon; or on his own property or the property of another, with the intent to enable any person to collect insurance proceeds for the loss caused by the fire or explosion, or which recklessly endangers any person or the property of another. Title 17-A, 802, 1-3. Arson is a Class A crime.
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Burglary
A person is guilty of burglary if the person enters or surreptitiously remains in a structure knowing that the person is not licensed or privileged to do so, with the intent to commit a crime therein. Title 17-A, 401,1. Burglary is usually a Class A, B, or C crime. (Class A if armed with a firearm.)
Criminal threatening
A person is guilty of criminal threatening if the person intentionally or knowingly places another person in fear of imminent bodily injury. Title 17-A, 209, 1. Criminal Threatening is a Class D crime.
Criminal trespass
A person is guilty of criminal trespass if, knowing that the person is not licensed or privileged to do so, that person enters any dwelling place; enters any structure that is locked or barred; enters any place from which that person may be lawfully excluded, or remains in any place in defiance of a lawful order to leave that was personally communicated to that person by the owner or authorized person. Title 17-A, 402, 1. Criminal trespass is a Class B through F crime.
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Drug related crimes
The definition is detailed and complex. The full description of these crimes and all related offenses can be found in Title 17-A, chapter 45. Drug related crimes are Class B through E crimes.
Escape
A person is guilty of escape if, without official permission the person intentionally leaves official custody or intentionally fails to return to official custody following temporary leave granted for a specific purpose or a limited period. Title 17-A, 755, 1. Escape is a Class B through D crime.
Felony murder
A person is guilty of felony murder if acting alone or with one or more other persons in the commission of, or an attempt to commit, or immediate flight after committing or attempting to commit murder, robbery, burglary, kidnapping, arson, gross sexual assault, or escape, the person or another participant in fact causes the death of a human being, and the death is a reasonably foreseeable consequence of such commission, attempt, or flight. Title 17-A, 202, 1. Felony Murder is a Class A crime.
Forgery
A person is guilty of forgery if, with the intent to defraud or deceive another person or government the person falsely makes, completes, endorses, or alters a written instrument, or knowingly utters or possesses such an instrument. Title 17-A, 703, 1. Forgery is a Class A through D crime.
Fraud
The definition is detailed and complex. The full description of this crime and all related offenses can be found in Title 17-A, 901-908. Fraud is usually a Class C or D crime.
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Gross sexual assault
The definition is detailed and complex. The full description of this crime and all related offenses can be found in Title 17-A, 253, 1 - 7. Gross sexual assault is a Class A through C crime.
Kidnapping
A person is guilty of kidnapping if the actor knowingly restrains another person with the intent to hold the person for ransom or reward; use the person as a shield or hostage; inflict bodily injury upon the other person or subject the other person to conduct defined as criminal; or terrorize the other person or a third person. A complete definition can be found in Title 17-A, 301, 1. Kidnapping is a Class A crime.
Manslaughter
A person is guilty of manslaughter if the person recklessly, or with criminal negligence, causes the death of another human being; or intentionally or knowingly causes the death of another human being under circumstances that do not constitute murder because the person causes the death while under the influence of extreme anger or extreme fear brought about by adequate provocation. Title 17-A, 203, 1. Manslaughter is usually a Class A crime.
Murder
A person is guilty of murder if the person intentionally or knowingly causes the death of another human being; engages in conduct that manifests a depraved indifference to the value of human life and that in fact causes the death of another human being. A complete definition can be found in Title 17-A, 201, 1. Murder is usually a Class A crime. See also Felony Murder.
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Perjury
A person is guilty of perjury if the person makes, in any official proceeding, a false material statement under oath or affirmation, or swears or affirms the truth of a material statement previously made, and does not believe the statement to be true. Title 17-A, 451, 1. Perjury is usually a Class C crime.
Reckless conduct
A person is guilty of reckless conduct if the person recklessly creates a substantial risk of serious bodily injury to another person. Title 17-A, 211, 1. Reckless conduct is a Class D crime.
Robbery
A person is guilty of robbery if the person commits or attempts to commit theft and at the time of these actions, recklessly inflicts bodily injury on another. Title 17-A, 651, 1. Robbery is a Class A through D crime.
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Stalking
A person is guilty of stalking if the actor intentionally or knowingly engages in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would in fact cause a reasonable person and that other specific person to suffer intimidation or serious inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm; or to fear bodily injury or to fear bodily injury to a member of that person's immediate family; or to fear death or to fear the death of a member of a person's immediate family. Title 17-A, 210-A, 1. Stalking is usually a Class B through D crime.
Terrorizing
A person is guilty of terrorizing if that person communicates to any person a threat to commit or to cause to be committed a crime of violence dangerous to human life, against the person to whom the communication is made or another, and the natural and probable consequence of such a threat, whether or not such consequence in fact occurs is: to place the person to whom the threat is communicated or the person threatened in reasonable fear that a crime will be committed; or to cause evacuation of a building, place of assembly, or facility of public transport or to cause the occupants of a building to be moved to or required to remain in a designated secure area. Title 17-A, 210, 1. Terrorizing is usually a Class C or D crime.
Theft
Conduct denominated as theft constitutes a single crime embracing the separate crimes such as those heretofore known as larceny, larceny by trick, larceny by bailee, embezzlement, false pretenses, extortion, blackmail, shoplifting, and receiving stolen property. The definition for this crime is very detailed and complex. The full description of this crime and all related offenses can be found in Title 17-A, 351-362. Theft is usually a Class B through F crime.
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Unlawful sexual conduct
The definition is detailed and complex. The full description of this crime and all related offenses can be found in Title 17-A, 255, 1 - 3. Unlawful sexual contact is usually a Class B through E crime
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