Missouri Laws 565.252 – Invasion of privacy, penalty
1. A person commits the offense of invasion of privacy if he or she knowingly:
(1) Photographs, films, videotapes, produces, or otherwise creates an image of another person, without the person’s consent, while the person is in a state of full or partial nudity and is in a place where one would have a reasonable expectation of privacy; 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 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 565.252
- Conduct: includes any act or omission. See Missouri Laws 565.002
- Course of conduct: a pattern of conduct composed of two or more acts, which may include communication by any means, over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of purpose. See Missouri Laws 565.002
- films: the making of any photograph, motion picture film, videotape, or any other recording or transmission of the image of a person. See Missouri Laws 565.002
- Full or partial nudity: the showing of all or any part of the human genitals, pubic area, buttock, or any part of the nipple of the breast of any female person, with less than a fully opaque covering. See Missouri Laws 565.002
- person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- State: when applied to any of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020
(2) Photographs, films, videotapes, produces, or otherwise creates an image of another person under or through the clothing worn by that other person for the purpose of viewing the body of or the undergarments worn by that other person without that person’s consent.
2. Invasion of privacy is a class A misdemeanor unless:
(1) A person who creates an image in violation of this section distributes the image to another or transmits the image in a manner that allows access to that image via computer;
(2) A person disseminates or permits the dissemination by any means, to another person, of a videotape, photograph, or film obtained in violation of this section;
(3) More than one person is viewed, photographed, filmed or videotaped during the same course of conduct; or
(4) The offense was committed by a person who has previously been found guilty of invasion of privacy
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in which case invasion of privacy is a class E felony.
3. Prior findings of guilt shall be pleaded and proven in the same manner required by the provisions of section 558.021.
4. As used in this section, “same course of conduct” means more than one person has been viewed, photographed, filmed, or videotaped under the same or similar circumstances pursuant to one scheme or course of conduct, whether at the same or different times.