New York criminal charge

Unlawful purchase of body armor in New York

Current through 2026 New York legislative session

Unlawful purchase of body armor is a criminal offense under New York law, defined by N.Y. Penal Law § 270.21. Its classification is not fixed: New York assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by N.Y. Penal Law § 270.21.

What is the penalty for unlawful purchase of body armor in New York?

Penalties for Unlawful purchase of body armor
Penalty	Range	Basis	Authority
Jail / prison	up to 364 days (Unlawful purchase of body armor - first offense — Applies when the offense is a first offense.; definite sentence (PEN 70.15(1); any statutory reference to one year is applied as 364 days per PEN 70.15(1-a)); probation of 2 or 3 years available instead (PEN 65.00(3)))	discretionary	N.Y. Penal Law § 70.15
Fine	up to $1,000 (Unlawful purchase of body armor - first offense — Applies when the offense is a first offense.; or up to double the defendant's gain from the crime (PEN 80.05(5)))	discretionary	N.Y. Penal Law § 70.15
Jail / prison	up to 4 years (Unlawful purchase of body armor - subsequent offense — Applies when the offense is a subsequent offense (i.e., not the first).; authorized maximum for the class; non-violent felonies take an indeterminate term (minimum 1 year to one-third of the maximum, PEN 70.00(3)(b)) or an alternative definite sentence of 1 year or less (PEN 70.00(4)); violent felony offenses enumerated in PEN 70.02 take a determinate term of 1½–4 years plus post-release supervision (PEN 70.45); predicate-felon ranges differ (PEN 70.06))	discretionary	N.Y. Penal Law § 70.00
Fine	up to $5,000 (Unlawful purchase of body armor - subsequent offense — Applies when the offense is a subsequent offense (i.e., not the first).; or up to double the defendant's gain from the crime (PEN 80.00(1)); does not apply to corporations (PEN 80.00(4), 80.10))	discretionary	N.Y. Penal Law § 70.00

Applies to current.

How is unlawful purchase of body armor classified in New York?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Unlawful purchase of body armor
Variant	Classification	When it applies	Statute
Unlawful purchase of body armor - first offense	Class A Misdemeanor	Applies when the offense is a first offense.	N.Y. Penal Law § 270.21undefined
Unlawful purchase of body armor - subsequent offense	Class E Felony	Applies when the offense is a subsequent offense (i.e., not the first).	N.Y. Penal Law § 270.21undefined

Common questions about unlawful purchase of body armor in New York

How is unlawful purchase of body armor classified in New York?

It depends on the circumstances: unlawful purchase of body armor ranges from a Class A Misdemeanor to a Class E Felony in New York under N.Y. Penal Law § 270.21.

Unlawful purchase of body armor - first offense: Class A Misdemeanor (N.Y. Penal Law § 270.21) · Unlawful purchase of body armor - subsequent offense: Class E Felony (N.Y. Penal Law § 270.21)

What are the penalties for unlawful purchase of body armor in New York?

Penalties for unlawful purchase of body armor in New York depend on how it is classified — from a Class A Misdemeanor up to a Class E Felony — with the ranges set by N.Y. Penal Law § 70.15 and N.Y. Penal Law § 70.00; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which New York statute covers unlawful purchase of body armor?

Unlawful purchase of body armor is governed by N.Y. Penal Law § 270.21 (Unlawful purchase of body armor).

Legal terms used in this law

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.