It is a criminal offense to make a false police report of a crime—knowingly and with the intent to deceive—if the statement is material to a criminal investigation and is made to (1) a peace officer or federal special investigator conducting the investigation; (2) any employee of a law enforcement agency that is authorized by the agency to conduct the investigation and that the person making the statement knows is conducting the investigation; or (3) a corrections officer or jailer.

The crime of making a false police report may be prosecuted as a misdemeanor or as a felony, depending on the state, and is punishable in many states by jail time, fines, community service, and probation. The definitions and punishments for the crime of making a false police report vary from state to state and are usually located in a state’s statutes.

In Nevada, making a false police report is considered a criminal offense under NRS 207.280. A person commits this offense if they knowingly make a false report of a crime to a peace officer, federal special investigator, or any authorized employee of a law enforcement agency with the intent to deceive. This also extends to false statements made to corrections officers or jailers. The false report must be material to a criminal investigation. The severity of the charge in Nevada can vary, but typically, making a false police report is treated as a misdemeanor. If convicted, the penalties can include fines, jail time, community service, and probation. The specific circumstances of the false report can influence the exact penalties, and in some cases, if the false report leads to more severe consequences, the charges could potentially be elevated.