6-5-203. Compounding; penalties.

(a) A person commits compounding if, knowing of the actual commission of a crime or the violation of a statute for which a penalty or forfeiture is prescribed, he takes property or accepts an offer of property upon an agreement or understanding, express or implied, to:

(i) Compound or conceal the crime or violation;

(ii) Abstain from prosecuting the crime or violation;

(iii) Withhold evidence of the crime or violation; or

(iv) Encourage or procure the absence of witnesses or testimony at the examination or trial of the crime or violation.

(b) A person commits compounding of a crime or a violation of a statute for which a penalty or forfeiture is prescribed if he takes property or accepts an offer of property upon an agreement or understanding, express or implied, to:

(i) Compound, discontinue or delay a pending prosecution for the crime or violation;

(ii) Withhold evidence of the crime or violation; or

(iii) Encourage or procure the absence of witnesses or other testimony at the examination or trial of the crime or violation.

(c) Compounding is:

(i) A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than one (1) year, a fine of not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000.00), or both:

(A) Under subsection (b) of this section;

(B) If a misdemeanor is compounded; or

(C) If a violation of a statute for which a penalty or forfeiture is prescribed is compounded.

(ii) A felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than three (3) years, a fine of not more than three thousand dollars ($3,000.00), or both if a felony punishable by imprisonment is compounded;

(iii) A felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than five (5) years, a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00), or both, if a felony punishable by death is compounded.