2011 Montana Code Annotated
TITLE 30. TRADE AND COMMERCE
CHAPTER 14. UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES AND CONSUMER PROTECTION
Part 14. Montana Telemarketing Registration and Fraud Prevention Act
30-14-1414. Penalties -- misdemeanor and felony violations -- burden of proof.
30-14-1414. Penalties -- misdemeanor and felony violations -- burden of proof. (1) (a) A person who fails to follow the requirements of 30-14-1404, 30-14-1408, 30-14-1410, 30-14-1411, or 30-14-1412 commits the offense of failure to comply with the requirements of this part. Except as otherwise provided in 30-14-1411, this offense is specifically intended to be an absolute liability offense as provided for in 45-2-104.
(b) A person convicted of the offense of failure to comply with the requirements of this part shall be fined not to exceed $500 or be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not to exceed 6 months, or both.
(c) Upon a second or subsequent conviction for the offense of failure to comply with the requirements of this part, a person shall be fined not to exceed $50,000 or be imprisoned in the state prison for a term not to exceed 5 years, or both.
(2) (a) A person commits the offense of telemarketing fraud when the person knowingly violates this part with the purpose of depriving an owner of property.
(b) A person convicted of the offense of telemarketing fraud in which the value of the property does not exceed $500 shall be fined not to exceed $500 or be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not to exceed 6 months, or both.
(c) A person convicted of the offense of telemarketing fraud in which the value of the property exceeds $500 or the person has engaged in telemarketing fraud as part of a common scheme shall be fined not to exceed $50,000 or be imprisoned in the state prison for a term not to exceed 10 years, or both.
(3) In any criminal proceeding alleging a violation of this part, the burden of producing evidence to support a defense based on an exemption under 30-14-1405 or an exception from a definition in 30-14-1403 is on the person claiming the exemption or exception.
History: En. Sec. 14, Ch. 342, L. 1999.
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