What Does Compounding A Crime Mean And How Is It Penalized?

Compounding a crime or felony is the act of agreeing with a thief or felon not to prosecute in exchange for the stolen goods or other rewards for not prosecuting the alleged. The individual who is compounding the crime may be immediately affected by some circumstances, which explain the mischievous act. The offender may be someone sitting in office or has legal rights to prosecute violators of the law.

Compounding a crime or misdemeanor is charge to any individual who accepts or offers or agrees to accept any economic benefit in exchange for refraining from seeking prosecution of an offender or refraining from reporting to law enforcement authorities the commission or suspected commission of any crime or any information relating to a crime. Compounding a crime is a Class 6 felony while compounding a misdemeanor is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

What The Law Says

The law strictly prohibits any person to knowingly demand, accept or agree to accept anything of value in consideration of abandoning or agreeing to abandon a pending criminal or misdemeanor prosecution. It is a violation against state laws to agree or offer payment or promise not to prosecute a felony which he has full knowledge has been committed. An individual will be rendered guilty if he suppresses evidence to conceal or prevent prosecution.

Two actions are typically involved when compounding a crime:

1. The individual does not initiate or aid in the prosecution of one who has committed a crime.

2. The individual intentionally conceals or destroys evidence of a crime.

When a prosecuting witness abandons or agrees to abandon a prosecution, it will in no way bind the municipality to abandoning the prosecution. Any individual who violates will be guilty of compounding a crime, a misdemeanor of the first degree. Affirmative defenses in the part of the offender can also be made when both applies.

1. The pending prosecution involved is for a violation of other laws or a felony offense under law under which the actor was the victim.

2. The thing of value demanded, accepted, or agreed to be accepted, in consideration of abandoning or agreeing to abandon the prosecution, did not exceed an amount which the actor reasonably believed due him as restitution for the loss caused him by the offense.

 An example of compounding a crime can be presented in this scenario. A juror was secretly told by the individual who is being charged with a crime that he is guilty. However, the individual promised to give the juror $1 million if he does not prosecute or place a vote against him during sentencing. If the juror agrees to the proposition of receiving $1 million in exchange for not prosecuting, he can be convicted of compounding a crime.

Penalties For Compounding A Crime

Compound a crime is punishable by fines and imprisonment. The offender can be fined an amount equal to profit made in addition to standard fine rates indicated by state laws. The offender will also be subject to revocation of license or banned from legal practice and imprisoned from six months to five years.

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