Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Criminal Impersonation in Tennessee

Criminal Impersonation is often seen where an individual who is hiding from a warrant gives a police officer a false name or other identification.  This is a serious charge and often results in simply compounding that person's criminal problems. 

Under T.C.A. 39-16-301 states the folowing:

(a) A person commits criminal impersonation who, with intent to injure or defraud another person:


(1) Assumes a false identity;
(2) Pretends to be a representative of some person or organization;
(3) Pretends to be an officer or employee of the government; or
(4) Pretends to have a disability.

(b) A person commits criminal impersonation who pretends to be a law enforcement officer for the purpose of:

(1) Engaging in an activity that is ordinarily and customarily an activity established by law as a law enforcement activity; and
(2) Causing another to believe that the person is a law enforcement officer.

A person charged under section (a) faces a Class B misdemeanor, while a person charged under section (b) faces a Class A misdemeanor.

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