45-8-403. Use of threat to coerce gang membership -- use of violence to coerce gang membership. (1) A person commits the offense of use of threat to coerce criminal street gang membership if the person purposely or knowingly threatens a person under 18 years of age with physical violence on two or more separate occasions with the intent to coerce, induce, or solicit the minor to actively participate in any criminal street gang whose members engage in a pattern of criminal street gang activity.

(2) A person commits the offense of use of violence to coerce criminal street gang membership if the person purposely or knowingly uses physical violence to coerce, induce, or solicit a person under 18 years of age to actively participate in any criminal street gang whose members engage in a pattern of criminal street gang activity.

(3) (a) A person convicted of the offense of use of threat to coerce criminal street gang membership shall be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not to exceed 1 year.

(b) A person convicted of the offense of use of violence to coerce criminal street gang membership shall be imprisoned in a state prison for a term not to exceed 3 years.

(4) A person who is 16 years of age or older and less than 18 years of age who is named in a petition filed in youth court alleging delinquency for the alleged commission of the offense of use of threat to coerce criminal street gang membership or the offense of use of violence to coerce criminal street gang membership is subject to transfer of the case to district court under 41-5-206 or, if the case is not transferred to district court under 41-5-206, to the provisions of Title 41, chapter 5.

(5) This section may not be construed to limit prosecution under any other provision of law.

(6) A person may not be convicted of violating this section based on speech alone, except on a showing that the speech itself threatened violence against a specific person, that the defendant had the apparent ability to carry out the threat, and that physical harm was imminently likely to occur.

History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 285, L. 1997.