(a) Any person who commits, or attempts to commit, any of the crimes or offenses set forth in subsection (f) of this section against a person who is a vulnerable adult is guilty of a crime against a vulnerable adult.

(b) A crime against a vulnerable adult shall be punished as follows:

(1) If the underlying offense is an unclassified misdemeanor, or a class B misdemeanor, the crime against a vulnerable adult shall be a class A misdemeanor;

(2) If the underlying offense is a class A misdemeanor, the crime against a vulnerable adult shall be a class G felony;

(3) If the underlying offense is a class D, E, F, or G felony, the crime against a vulnerable adult shall be 1 class higher than the underlying offense.

(c) “Vulnerable adult” means a person 18 years of age or older who, by reason of isolation, sickness, debilitation, mental illness or physical, mental or cognitive disability, is easily susceptible to abuse, neglect, mistreatment, intimidation, manipulation, coercion or exploitation. Without limitation, the term “vulnerable adult” includes any adult for whom a guardian or the person or property has been appointed.

(d) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, it is no defense to an offense or sentencing provision set forth in this section that the accused did not know that the victim was a vulnerable adult or that the accused reasonably believed the person was not a vulnerable adult unless the statute defining the underlying offense, or a related statute, expressly provides that knowledge that the victim is a vulnerable adult is a defense.

(e) No person shall be sentenced for both an underlying offense and a crime against a vulnerable adult. No person shall be sentenced for a violation of subsection (a) of this section if the underlying offense, as charged against the accused, has an element that the victim was 62 years of age or older or was an “adult who is impaired” as defined in § 3902 of Title 31.

(f) The following shall be underlying offenses for the purposes of this section:

11 Del. C. 1953, § 1105; 58 Del. Laws, c. 497, § 1; 67 Del. Laws, c. 130, § 8; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 77 Del. Laws, c. 416, § 1; 78 Del. Laws, c. 175, § 106; 78 Del. Laws, c. 224, § 15; 79 Del. Laws, c. 260, § 10; 82 Del. Laws, c. 216, § 1.