New York statute
N.Y. Penal Law § 215.45 — Compounding a crime
Current through 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17)
Part of Article 215: Other Offenses Relating to Judicial and Other Proceedings, New York Penal Law.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of N.Y. Penal Law § 215.45
Statutory text current through the 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17). This publication reproduces the text of the Consolidated Laws of New York as provided by the New York State Senate's Open Legislation service (Legislative Bill Drafting Commission statutory text); it is not the official statutes of the State of New York.
215.45 Compounding a crime.
1. A person is guilty of compounding a crime when:
(a) He solicits, accepts or agrees to accept any benefit upon an
agreement or understanding that he will refrain from initiating a
prosecution for a crime; or
(b) He confers, or offers or agrees to confer, any benefit upon
another person upon an agreement or understanding that such other person
will refrain from initiating a prosecution for a crime.
2. In any prosecution under this section, it is an affirmative defense
that the benefit did not exceed an amount which the defendant reasonably
believed to be due as restitution or indemnification for harm caused by
the crime.
Compounding a crime is a class A misdemeanor.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
What class of misdemeanor is compounding a crime in New York?
Compounding a crime is a Class A Misdemeanor in New York under N.Y. Penal Law § 215.45.
Which New York statute covers compounding a crime?
Compounding a crime is governed by N.Y. Penal Law § 215.45 (Compounding a crime).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.