Maryland Kidnapping Laws

There are 2 types of kidnapping charges in Maryland, each are felonies and carry
with them extremely severe legal consequences if convicted. The exact consequences
you will face depend on your past criminal history as well as the exact circumstances
surrounding the kidnapping. If you are facing kidnapping charges in Maryland you
should speak with a Maryland Kidnapping Defense Attorney today.
Maryland law defines kidnapping as someone, without legal and lawful
authorization, forcibly or secretly confines or imprisons another person within this
commonwealth against their will. Furthermore, anyone or forcibly carries or sends such
person out of state, or forcibly seizes and confines or inveigles or kidnaps
another person, with intent either to cause him to be secretly confined or imprisoned in
this commonwealth against their will, or to cause them to be sent out of this
commonwealth against their will or in any way held to service against their will, shall be
punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than ten years or by a fine of
not more than one thousand dollars and imprisonment in jail for not more than two years.
Whoever commits any offense described in this section with the intent to extort money or
other valuable thing thereby shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for life
or for any term of years.

Kidnapping Using A Deadly Weapon

Whoever commits any offense described in this section while armed with a firearm, rifle,
shotgun, machine gun or assault weapon shall be punished by imprisonment in the state
prison for not less than ten years or in the house of correction for not more than two and
one-half years. These laws do not pertain to the parent of a child under 18 years of age
who takes custody of such child. Anyone convicted of kidnapping while being armed with
a weapon such as a firearm, rifle, shotgun, machine gun or assault weapon with the
intent to extort money or other valuable thing thereby shall be punished by imprisonment
in the state prison for life or for any term of years but not less than 20 years.

Kidnapping And Sexual Assault

Whoever commits any offense described in this section while armed with a dangerous
weapon and inflicts serious bodily injury thereby upon another person or who sexually
assaults such person shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less
than 25 years. Maryland law defines bodily injury which results in a permanent
disfigurement, protracted loss or impairment of a bodily function, limb or organ or
substantial risk of death.

Kidnapping Persons Under 16 Years Of Age

In Maryland anyone who forcibly or secretly confines or imprisons a minor (in this
case a child under the age of 16) against their will or forcibly carries or sends such
person out of the commonwealth or forcibly seizes and confines or inveigles or kidnaps a
child under the age of 16 with the intent either to cause them to be secretly confined or
imprisoned in the commonwealth against his will or to cause them to be sent out of the
commonwealth against their will or in any way held to service against his will, shall be
punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 15 years.

Let A Maryland Kidnapping Defense Lawyer Help You

You are looking at felony charges and prison time if convicted of kidnapping. Once
retained our Rockville, Maryland kidnapping defense lawyers will do everything in their power to
devise a solid and strategic defense. Their ultimate goal will be to get your charges
dropped or dismissed. If that is not possible they will attempt to get the charges lessened
and minimize the negative repercussions of your pending kidnapping charges.

Our Maryland kidnapping defense lawyers have an office in Rockville and serve the Bethesda, Frederick, Wheaton, Silver Spring, Rockville, Bowie, Laurel, College Park, Takoma Park,Germantown and Gaithersburg areas.