GroundRules
← Search the law
New York · Through 2026-09-11

N.Y. Penal Law § 135.25: Kidnapping in the first degree

Read at publisher ↗
Where this section sits in the code
  1. Penal Law
  2. Part 3. Specific Offenses
  3. Title H. Offenses Against the Person Involving Physical Injury, Sexual Conduct, Restraint and Intimidation
  4. Article 135. Kidnapping, Coercion and Related Offenses

§ 135.25 Kidnapping in the first degree.

A person is guilty of kidnapping in the first degree when he abducts

another person and when:

1. His intent is to compel a third person to pay or deliver money or

property as ransom, or to engage in other particular conduct, or to

refrain from engaging in particular conduct; or

2. He restrains the person abducted for a period of more than twelve

hours with intent to:

(a) Inflict physical injury upon him or violate or abuse him sexually;

or

(b) Accomplish or advance the commission of a felony; or

(c) Terrorize him or a third person; or

(d) Interfere with the performance of a governmental or political

function; or

3. The person abducted dies during the abduction or before he is able

to return or to be returned to safety. Such death shall be presumed, in

a case where such person was less than sixteen years old or an

incompetent person at the time of the abduction, from evidence that his

parents, guardians or other lawful custodians did not see or hear from

him following the termination of the abduction and prior to trial and

received no reliable information during such period persuasively

indicating that he was alive. In all other cases, such death shall be

presumed from evidence that a person whom the person abducted would have

been extremely likely to visit or communicate with during the specified

period were he alive and free to do so did not see or hear from him

during such period and received no reliable information during such

period persuasively indicating that he was alive.

Kidnapping in the first degree is a class A-I felony.

Collected 2026-09-14T19:32:45Z. Source file · JSON

Browse this collection