Section 578.379

Title XXXVIII CRIMES AND PUNISHMENT; PEACE OFFICERS AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS

Chapter 578

Effective - 28 Aug 2013, 3 histories, see footnote   (history) 

  578.379.  Until December 31, 2016 — Unlawful conversion of public assistance benefits or EBT cards — grades of offense, penalty. — 1.  A person commits the crime of conversion of public assistance benefits or EBT cards if he or she knowingly engages in any transaction to convert public assistance benefits or EBT cards to other property contrary to statutes, rules and regulations, either state or federal, governing the use of public assistance benefits.

  2.  Unlawful conversion of public assistance benefits or EBT cards is a class D felony unless the face value of said public assistance benefits or EBT cards is less than five hundred dollars, in which case unlawful conversion of public assistance benefits or EBT cards is a class A misdemeanor.  A person who is found guilty of a second offense of unlawful conversion of public assistance benefits or EBT cards in an amount less than five hundred dollars shall be guilty of a class D felony.  Any person who is found guilty of a second or subsequent offense of felony unlawful conversion of public assistance benefits or EBT cards shall be guilty of a class C felony.  Any person who is found guilty of felony unlawful conversion of public assistance benefits or EBT cards shall serve not less than one hundred twenty days in the department of corrections unless such person pays full restitution to the state of Missouri within thirty days of the date of execution of sentence.

  3.  In addition to any criminal penalty, any person found guilty of unlawful conversion of public assistance benefits or EBT cards shall pay full restitution to the state of Missouri for the total amount of moneys converted.  No person placed on probation for the offense shall be released from probation until full restitution has been paid.

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(L. 1987 S.B. 259 § 3, A.L. 2002 H.B. 1888, A.L. 2013 S.B. 251)

Transferred 2014; now 570.402; Effective 1-01-17