California · Penal Code

PEN §146a: (a) Any person who falsely represents himself or herself to be a deputy or clerk in any state department and who, in that assumed character, does any of the following is guilty of a misdemeanor punish

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

It is illegal to falsely claim to be a state official and, while pretending to be one, arrest, detain, intimidate, search, or obtain property from someone.

Read the full statutory text

(a) Any person who falsely represents himself or herself to be a deputy or clerk in any state department and who, in that assumed character, does any of the following is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months, by a fine not exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), or both the fine and imprisonment: (1) Arrests, detains, or threatens to arrest or detain any person. (2) Otherwise intimidates any person. (3) Searches any person, building, or other property of any person. (4) Obtains money, property, or other thing of value. (b) Any person who falsely represents himself or herself to be a public officer, investigator, or inspector in any state department and who, in that assumed character, does any of the following shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, by a fine not exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), or by both that fine and imprisonment, or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170: (1) Arrests, detains, or threatens to arrest or detain any person. (2) Otherwise intimidates any person. (3) Searches any person, building, or other property of any person. (4) Obtains money, property, or other thing of value.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

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