Ohio Code 2913.041 – Possession or sale of unauthorized cable television device
(A) No person shall knowingly possess any device, including any instrument, apparatus, computer chip, equipment, decoder, descrambler, converter, software, or other device specially adapted, modified, or remanufactured for gaining access to cable television service, without securing authorization from or paying the required compensation to the owner or operator of the system that provides the cable television service.
Attorney's Note
Under the Ohio Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Felony of the fourth degree | 6 to 18 months | up to $5,000 |
| Felony of the fifth degree | 6 to 12 months | up to $2,500 |
Terms Used In Ohio Code 2913.041
- Cable television service: means any services provided by or through the facilities of any cable television system or other similar closed circuit coaxial cable communications system, or any microwave or similar transmission service used in connection with any cable television system or other similar closed circuit coaxial cable communications system. See Ohio Code 2913.01
- Computer: includes , but is not limited to, all input, output, processing, storage, computer program, or communication facilities that are connected, or related, in a computer system or network to an electronic device of that nature. See Ohio Code 2913.01
- Owner: means , unless the context requires a different meaning, any person, other than the actor, who is the owner of, who has possession or control of, or who has any license or interest in property or services, even though the ownership, possession, control, license, or interest is unlawful. See Ohio Code 2913.01
- Person: includes an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Whoever: includes all persons, natural and artificial; partners; principals, agents, and employees; and all officials, public or private. See Ohio Code 1.02
(B) No person shall knowingly sell, distribute, or manufacture any device, including any instrument, apparatus, computer chip, equipment, decoder, descrambler, converter, software, or other device specially adapted, modified, or remanufactured for gaining access to cable television service, without securing authorization from or paying the required compensation to the owner or operator of the system that provides the cable television service.
(C) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of possession of an unauthorized device, a felony of the fifth degree. Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of sale of an unauthorized device, a felony of the fourth degree.
(D) A person commits a separate violation of this section with regard to each device that is sold, distributed, manufactured, or possessed in violation of division (A) or (B) of this section.