{"data":{"id":"us-mt/45-5-802","jurisdiction":"us-mt","citation":"45-5-802","heading":"Abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect of vulnerable adult -- penalties.","body":"(1) Except as provided in subsection (3), a person who purposely or knowingly abuses, sexually abuses, or neglects a vulnerable adult is guilty of a felony and shall be imprisoned for a term not to exceed 10 years and be fined an amount not to exceed $10,000, or both.\n(2) (a) Except as provided in subsection (3)(a), a person who negligently abuses a vulnerable adult is, on a first conviction, guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined an amount not to exceed $1,000 or be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not to exceed 1 year, or both.\n(b) On a second or subsequent conviction of the conduct described in subsection (2)(a), the person is guilty of a felony and shall be fined an amount not to exceed $10,000 or be imprisoned for a term not to exceed 10 years, or both.\n(3) (a) A person who causes personal degradation to a vulnerable adult in a place where the vulnerable adult has a reasonable expectation of privacy is, on a first conviction, guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined an amount not to exceed $500 or be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not to exceed 6 months, or both.\n(b) On a second or subsequent conviction of the conduct described in subsection (3)(a), the person is guilty of a felony and shall be fined an amount not to exceed $10,000 or be imprisoned for a term not to exceed 10 years, or both.\n(c) A person 18 years of age or older who has a developmental disability as defined in 53-20-102 may not be charged under subsections (2) and (3) of this section.","path":["TITLE 45. CRIMES","CHAPTER 5. OFFENSES AGAINST THE PERSON","Part 8. Offenses Against Incapacitated Persons and Vulnerable Adults"],"source_url":"https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0450/chapter_0050/part_0080/section_0020/0450-0050-0080-0020.html","current_through":"Montana Code Annotated 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T04:55:31Z","sha256":"8de1e7db1154e67d5780405a7648116250a0bb14407b3321453b0fd36735fe80","source_id":"us-mt","stale":false,"prev":"us-mt/45-5-801","next":"us-mt/45-5-803"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}