Virginia criminal charge
Impersonating law-enforcement officer in Virginia
Impersonating law-enforcement officer is a criminal offense under Virginia law, defined by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-174. Its classification is not fixed: Virginia 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 Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-174.
What is the penalty for impersonating law-enforcement officer in Virginia?
| Penalty | Range | Basis | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jail / prison | up to 12 months (Impersonating law-enforcement officer — first offense — First offense of falsely assuming or exercising the functions of a law-enforcement officer, or falsely pretending to be one for purposes of deception.) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-11 |
| Fine | up to $2,500 (Impersonating law-enforcement officer — first offense — First offense of falsely assuming or exercising the functions of a law-enforcement officer, or falsely pretending to be one for purposes of deception.; either or both with confinement (§ 18.2-11(a))) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-11 |
| Jail / prison | 1 years to 5 years (Impersonating law-enforcement officer — second or subsequent offense — Second or subsequent conviction for falsely assuming or pretending to be a law-enforcement officer under subsection A.; or, at the discretion of the jury or the court trying the case without a jury, confinement in jail for not more than 12 months and a fine of not more than $2,500, either or both (§ 18.2-10(f))) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10 |
| Fine | up to $2,500 (Impersonating law-enforcement officer — second or subsequent offense — Second or subsequent conviction for falsely assuming or pretending to be a law-enforcement officer under subsection A.; with the jail-confinement alternative under § 18.2-10(f)) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10 |
| Jail / prison | 1 years to 10 years (Impersonating law-enforcement officer while wearing facial covering — first offense — Violation of subsection A committed while the offender is wearing a facial covering that conceals identity.; or, at the discretion of the jury or the court trying the case without a jury, confinement in jail for not more than 12 months and a fine of not more than $2,500, either or both (§ 18.2-10(e))) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10 |
| Fine | up to $2,500 (Impersonating law-enforcement officer while wearing facial covering — first offense — Violation of subsection A committed while the offender is wearing a facial covering that conceals identity.; with the jail-confinement alternative under § 18.2-10(e)) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10 |
| Jail / prison | 2 years to 10 years (Impersonating law-enforcement officer while wearing facial covering — second or subsequent offense — Second or subsequent violation of subsection B, committed while wearing a facial covering.) | mandatory | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10 |
| Fine | up to $100,000 (Impersonating law-enforcement officer while wearing facial covering — second or subsequent offense — Second or subsequent violation of subsection B, committed while wearing a facial covering.; only together with imprisonment (§ 18.2-10(g))) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10 |
| Jail / prison | 1 years to 5 years (Impersonating law-enforcement officer during specified crime or security bypass — first offense — Violation of subsection A committed while committing or attempting specified offenses (e.g., murder, robbery, sexual assault) or while circumventing security measures of certain properties.; or, at the discretion of the jury or the court trying the case without a jury, confinement in jail for not more than 12 months and a fine of not more than $2,500, either or both (§ 18.2-10(f))) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10 |
| Fine | up to $2,500 (Impersonating law-enforcement officer during specified crime or security bypass — first offense — Violation of subsection A committed while committing or attempting specified offenses (e.g., murder, robbery, sexual assault) or while circumventing security measures of certain properties.; with the jail-confinement alternative under § 18.2-10(f)) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10 |
| Jail / prison | 1 years to 10 years (Impersonating law-enforcement officer during specified crime or security bypass — second or subsequent offense — Second or subsequent violation of subsection C, involving the same aggravating circumstances.; or, at the discretion of the jury or the court trying the case without a jury, confinement in jail for not more than 12 months and a fine of not more than $2,500, either or both (§ 18.2-10(e))) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10 |
| Fine | up to $2,500 (Impersonating law-enforcement officer during specified crime or security bypass — second or subsequent offense — Second or subsequent violation of subsection C, involving the same aggravating circumstances.; with the jail-confinement alternative under § 18.2-10(e)) | discretionary | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-10 |
Applies to current.
How is impersonating law-enforcement officer classified in Virginia?
The classification depends on the circumstances:
| Variant | Classification | When it applies | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impersonating law-enforcement officer — first offense | Class 1 Misdemeanor | First offense of falsely assuming or exercising the functions of a law-enforcement officer, or falsely pretending to be one for purposes of deception. | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-174A |
| Impersonating law-enforcement officer — second or subsequent offense | Class 6 Felony | Second or subsequent conviction for falsely assuming or pretending to be a law-enforcement officer under subsection A. | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-174A |
| Impersonating law-enforcement officer while wearing facial covering — first offense | Class 5 Felony | Violation of subsection A committed while the offender is wearing a facial covering that conceals identity. | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-174B |
| Impersonating law-enforcement officer while wearing facial covering — second or subsequent offense | Class 4 Felony | Second or subsequent violation of subsection B, committed while wearing a facial covering. | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-174B |
| Impersonating law-enforcement officer during specified crime or security bypass — first offense | Class 6 Felony | Violation of subsection A committed while committing or attempting specified offenses (e.g., murder, robbery, sexual assault) or while circumventing security measures of certain properties. | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-174C |
| Impersonating law-enforcement officer during specified crime or security bypass — second or subsequent offense | Class 5 Felony | Second or subsequent violation of subsection C, involving the same aggravating circumstances. | Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-174C |
Common questions about impersonating law-enforcement officer in Virginia
Is impersonating law-enforcement officer a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?
It depends on the circumstances: impersonating law-enforcement officer ranges from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 4 felony in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-174.
Impersonating law-enforcement officer — first offense: class 1 misdemeanor (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-174A) · Impersonating law-enforcement officer — second or subsequent offense: class 6 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-174A) · Impersonating law-enforcement officer while wearing facial covering — first offense: class 5 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-174B) · Impersonating law-enforcement officer while wearing facial covering — second or subsequent offense: class 4 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-174B) · Impersonating law-enforcement officer during specified crime or security bypass — first offense: class 6 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-174C) · Impersonating law-enforcement officer during specified crime or security bypass — second or subsequent offense: class 5 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-174C)
What are the penalties for impersonating law-enforcement officer in Virginia?
Which Virginia statute covers impersonating law-enforcement officer?
Impersonating law-enforcement officer is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-174 (Impersonating law-enforcement officer; penalties).
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.