A. Every person who buys or receives, in any manner, upon any consideration, personal property of a value of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or more that has been stolen, embezzled, obtained by false pretense or robbery, knowing or having reasonable cause to believe the same to have been stolen, embezzled, obtained by false pretense, or robbery, or who conceals, withholds, or aids in concealing or withholding such property from the owner shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections not to exceed five (5) years, or in the county jail not to exceed one (1) year, or by a fine not to exceed Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment. If the personal property that has been stolen, embezzled, obtained by false pretense or robbery has a value of less than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), the person shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed one (1) year.

B. Every person who, without making reasonable inquiry, buys, receives, conceals, withholds, or aids in concealing or withholding any property which has been stolen, embezzled, obtained by false pretense or robbery, or otherwise feloniously obtained, under such circumstances as should cause such person to make reasonable inquiry to ascertain that the person from whom such property was bought or received had the legal right to sell or deliver it shall be presumed to have bought or received such property knowing it to have been so stolen or wrongfully obtained. This presumption may, however, be rebutted by proof.

R.L. 1910, § 2664. Amended by Laws 1961, p. 234, § 1, emerg. eff. July 18, 1961; Laws 1997, c. 133, § 393, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 1999, 1st Ex. Sess., c. 5, § 285, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 2016, c. 221, § 18, eff. Nov. 1, 2016.

NOTE: Laws 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., c. 2, § 23 amended the effective date of Laws 1997, c. 133, § 393 from July 1, 1998, to July 1, 1999.