2013 Maine Revised Statutes
TITLE 17-A: MAINE CRIMINAL CODE
Chapter 53: FINES
17-A §1301. Amounts authorized

Part 3:

1301. Amounts authorized

1-A. A natural person who has been convicted of a Class A, Class B, Class C, Class D or Class E crime may be sentenced to pay a fine, unless the law that the person is convicted of violating expressly provides that the fine and imprisonment penalties it authorizes may not be suspended, in which case the convicted person must be sentenced to the imprisonment and required to pay the fine authorized in that law. Subject to these sentences and to section 1302, the fine may not exceed:

A. $50,000 for a Class A crime; [1991, c. 355, 1 (AMD).]

B. $20,000 for a Class B crime; [1991, c. 355, 1 (AMD).]

C. $5,000 for a Class C crime; [1991, c. 355, 1 (AMD).]

D. $2,000 for a Class D crime; [1991, c. 355, 1 (AMD).]

E. $1,000 for a Class E crime; and [1991, c. 355, 1 (AMD).]

F. Regardless of the classification of the crime, any higher amount that does not exceed twice the pecuniary gain derived from the crime by the defendant. [1989, c. 872, 4 (NEW).]

[ 1991, c. 355, 1 (AMD) .]

2. As used in this section, "pecuniary gain" means the amount of money or the value of property at the time of the commission of the crime derived by the defendant from the commission of the crime, less the amount of money or the value of property returned to the victim of the crime or seized by or surrendered to lawful authority prior to the time sentence is imposed. When the court imposes a fine based on the amount of gain, the court shall make a finding as to the defendant's gain from the crime. If the record does not contain sufficient evidence to support a finding, the court may conduct, in connection with its imposition of sentence, a hearing on this issue.

[ 1975, c. 499, 1 (NEW) .]

3. If the defendant convicted of a crime is an organization and the law that the organization is convicted of violating expressly provides that the fine it authorizes may not be suspended, the organization must be sentenced to pay the fine authorized in that law. Otherwise, the maximum allowable fine that such a defendant may be sentenced to pay is:

A. Any amount for murder; [1981, c. 317, 27 (RPR).]

B. $100,000 for a Class A crime; [1991, c. 355, 2 (AMD).]

C. $40,000 for a Class B crime; [1991, c. 355, 2 (AMD).]

D. $20,000 for a Class C crime; [1991, c. 355, 2 (AMD).]

E. $10,000 for a Class D crime or a Class E crime; and [1991, c. 355, 2 (AMD).]

F. Any higher amount that does not exceed twice the pecuniary gain derived from the crime by the convicted organization. [1991, c. 355, 2 (AMD).]

[ 1991, c. 355, 2 (AMD) .]

4. Whenever a statute makes the possession of a particular item, whether animate or inanimate, a criminal offense, the statute may expressly provide that the fine depends upon the quantity of the item possessed by the defendant. In such case, the fine is as provided for in the statute and is not subject to the maximum limits placed on fines by subsections 1-A and 3.

[ RR 2005, c. 1, 2 (COR) .]

5. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any person convicted of a crime under section 1103, 1105-A, 1105-B, 1105-C, 1105-D, 1106 or 1107-A may be sentenced to pay a fine of an amount equal to the value at the time of the offense of the scheduled drug or drugs upon which the conviction is based.

When the court imposes a fine under this subsection, the court shall make a finding as to the value of the scheduled drug or drugs. If the record does not contain sufficient evidence to support a finding, the court may conduct, in connection with its imposition of a sentence, a hearing on this issue.

[ 2001, c. 383, 152 (AMD); 2001, c. 383, 156 (AFF) .]

6. In addition to any other authorized sentencing alternative, the court shall impose a minimum fine of $400, none of which may be suspended, for a person convicted of a crime under section 1103; 1104; 1105-A; 1105-B; 1105-C; 1105-D; 1106; 1107-A; 1108; 1109; 1110; 1111; 1111-A, subsection 4-A; 1116; 1117; or 1118.

[ 2011, c. 464, 22 (AMD) .]

SECTION HISTORY

1975, c. 499, 1 (NEW). 1975, c. 740, 121-123 (AMD). 1977, c. 510, 83-86 (AMD). 1981, c. 317, 27 (AMD). 1985, c. 699, (AMD). 1989, c. 872, 3,4 (AMD). 1991, c. 355, 1,2 (AMD). 2001, c. 383, 152 (AMD). 2001, c. 383, 156 (AFF). RR 2005, c. 1, 2 (COR). 2005, c. 386, DD2 (AMD). 2011, c. 464, 22 (AMD).