Missouri Laws 569.097 – Tampering with computer equipment — penalties
1. A person commits the offense of tampering with computer equipment if he or she knowingly and without authorization or without reasonable grounds to believe that he or she has such authorization:
(1) Modifies, destroys, damages, or takes equipment or data storage devices used or intended to be used in a computer, computer system, or computer network; or
Attorney's Note
Under the Missouri Laws, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class D felony | up to 7 years | up to $10,000 |
| Class E felony | up to 4 years | up to $10,000 |
| Class A misdemeanor | up to 1 year | up to $2,000 |
Terms Used In Missouri Laws 569.097
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- Property: includes real and personal property. See Missouri Laws 1.020
(2) Modifies, destroys, damages, or takes any computer, computer system, or computer network.
2. The offense of tampering with computer equipment is a class A misdemeanor, unless:
(1) The offense is committed for the purpose of executing any scheme or artifice to defraud or obtain any property, the value of which is seven hundred fifty dollars or more, in which case it is a class E felony; or
(2) The damage to such computer equipment or to the computer, computer system, or computer network is seven hundred fifty dollars or more, in which case it is a class E felony; or
(3) The damage to such computer equipment or to the computer, computer system, or computer network is twenty-five thousand dollars or more, in which case it is a class D felony.