Imagine getting arrested for not returning your grocery cart. Imagine going to jail for coloring a baby chicken green for Saint Patrick's Day. Think about having a criminal record for registering a race horse under a different name, keeping a disorderly home, or offering a gold fish as a prize at a festival. It could happen to you. Here is a list of some of Maryland's weirdest, strangest, and extremely odd crimes.
CR 7-106 Theft of a Newspaper
CR 7-201 Theft of a Grocery Cart
CR 6-208 Breaking and Entering a Research Facility
Breaking and entering a research facility without permission with the intent to do harm inside is a felony.
CR 6-108 Burning Trash Containers
Setting a willful and malicious fire or burn to the contents of someone else's dumpster or trash receptacle constitutes a misdemeanor.
CR 8-607 Counterfeiting a Public Seal
CR 8-612 Counterfeiting and Issuing of Tokens
For example, making fake coins out of lead to stick into a vending machine.
CR 8-521 Fraudulently obtaining legal representation from public defender's office
CR 8-904 Racing Horse Under False Name
CR 7-106 Theft of a Newspaper
A person may not knowingly or willfully obtain or exert control that is unauthorized over newspapers with the intent to prevent another from reading the newspapers.
Penalty.- A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 60 days or a fine not exceeding $500 or both.
Rumor has it, this crime was in response to a politically motivated event at the University of Maryland where students, protesting the newspaper, grabbed all the free newspapers they could so that no one else could read the paper.
CR 7-201 Theft of a Grocery Cart
A person may not, without the permission of the owner or agent of the owner:
- remove a wheeled cart or other similar device provided for the purpose of assembling or carrying purchased materials from a grocery store, store, or market, including its parking facilities;
- damage any wheeled cart or other device owned by the grocery store, store, or market from which the cart was obtained; or
- abandon a wheeled cart or other device on the streets or alleys of the State.
- abandon a wheeled cart or other device on the parking facilities of the grocery store, store, or market from which the cart was obtained.
Penalty.- A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $25 for each violation.
CR 3-215 Ingesting Bodily Fluids
A person may not knowingly and willfully cause another to ingest bodily fluid (seminal fluid, blood, urine, or feces) without that person's consent or by force/threat of force.
Penalty.- A person who violates subsection (b) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $2,500 or both.
Breaking and entering a research facility without permission with the intent to do harm inside is a felony.
CR 6-108 Burning Trash Containers
Setting a willful and malicious fire or burn to the contents of someone else's dumpster or trash receptacle constitutes a misdemeanor.
CR 8-607 Counterfeiting a Public Seal
CR 8-612 Counterfeiting and Issuing of Tokens
For example, making fake coins out of lead to stick into a vending machine.
CR 8-521 Fraudulently obtaining legal representation from public defender's office
CR 8-904 Racing Horse Under False Name
A person knowingly may not enter or race a horse in a running or harness race under a name or designation other than that registered with the Jockey Club or the United States Trotting Association. Misdemeanor 3 years/$5,000.
CR 5-613 Drug Kingpin
An organizer or financier who conspires with drug dealers. Thought "kingpin" was a cool word.
2B 21-102 Sale of container with detachable metal tab
A person who sells an alcoholic beverage container constructed with an all metal tab opening device that detaches from the container when opened is guilty of a misdemeanor.
CR 9-204 Bribery of person participating in or connected with athletic contest
A person who bribes a person participating in/connected with an athletic contest is guilty of a misdemeanor. A person accepting the bribe is also guilty of a misdemeanor (CR 9-205).
CR 4-106 Wearing bulletproof body armor
A person may not wear bulletproof body armor in commission of a crime of violence or drug trafficking.
CR 4-305 Detachable Magazines
A person may not manufacture, sell, purchase, receive or transfer a detachable magazine with a capacity of more than 20 rounds of ammunition. Exception: .22 caliber rifle with tubular magazine.
CR 9-506 Maryland Higher Education Fund Fraud
A person may not falsify or conceal information in order to obtain educational benefits from the State of Maryland. A conviction is a misdemeanor.
CR 6-407 Trespass in Stable Area of Racetrack
A person may not enter or remain in the stable area of a racetrack after being notified to leave. A conviction is a misdemeanor.
CR 6-410 Trespass on Property of Government House
A person who trespasses on the Governor's house property is guilty of a misdemeanor.
CR 6-504 Giving a False Train Signal
CR 6-505 Striking Railroad Vehicle with Object
CR 10-202 Keeping Disorderly House
Refers to a house that is regularly used for criminal activity, such as prostitution or drugs. Tell mom to clean up the house!
CR 10-403 Removing Human Remains
A person may not remove or attempt to remove human remains from a burial site. Conviction is a misdemeanor.
CR 10-608 Cockfights Prohibited
CR 10-610 Animal as Prize
A person may not give away a live animal as a prize or incentive without approval of the Secretary of Agriculture. Guess you should report that carny for giving you that goldfish?
CR 10-613 Sale of Puppy or Kitten
The sale of a puppy or kitten less than 8 weeks old is a misdemeanor.
CR 10-614 Transfer or Coloring of Chick
The sale, offer, barter, or giving away of a chick (baby chicken) or the coloring, dyeing, staining or changing of the natural color of a chick (think Saint Patrick's day green) is a misdemeanor. Crazy!
CR 10-621 Import, Sale of Dangerous Animal
It is illegal to import, sell, trade, or exchange a fox, skunk, raccoon, beat, alligator, cats (other than domestic) or poisonous snake in Maryland.
CR 10-501 Adultery
A person may not commit adultery (sex with someone who is not one's spouse). A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction shall be fined $10. Wow!
CR 3-321 Sodomy
Anal or oral sex with someone of the same or opposite sex is a felony and upon conviction, the offender could serve up to 10 years! Even consensual sodomy! However, the Supreme Court ruled that it is not a crime for homosexual couples to engage in anal sex. Hmm...
CR 3-607 Hazing
A person may not recklessly or intentionally do an act or create a situation that subjects a student to the risk of serious bodily injury for the purpose of an initiation into a student organization of a school, college, or university. A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding $500 or both.
CR 3-805.1 Spam Deterrence
The dissemination of spam emails or messages is a misdemeanor or felony, depending on the severity.
CR 10-106 Sale of Clove Cigarettes
CR 10-104 Sale of nonlatex condom by vending machine
CR 10-109 Abandon Refrigerator (outside)
CR 10-704 Mutilation of Flag
A person may not intentionally mutilate, deface, destroy, burn, trample, or use a flag in a manner intended to incite or produce an imminent breach of the peace and under circumstances likely to incite or produce an imminent breach of the peace. Misdemeanor 1 year/$1,000.
CR 11-306 House of Prostitution
