Ohio Revised Code
Chapter 2913 | Theft and Fraud
Section 2913.04 | Unauthorized Use of Property - Computer, Cable, or Telecommunication Property.

Effective: March 23, 2018
Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 33 - 132nd General Assembly
(A) No person shall knowingly use or operate the property of another without the consent of the owner or person authorized to give consent.
(B) No person, in any manner and by any means, including, but not limited to, computer hacking, shall knowingly gain access to, attempt to gain access to, or cause access to be gained to any computer, computer system, computer network, cable service, cable system, telecommunications device, telecommunications service, or information service without the consent of, or beyond the scope of the express or implied consent of, the owner of the computer, computer system, computer network, cable service, cable system, telecommunications device, telecommunications service, or information service or other person authorized to give consent.
(C) E xcept as permitted under section 5503.101 of the Revised Code, no person shall knowingly gain access to, attempt to gain access to, cause access to be granted to, or disseminate information gained from access to the law enforcement automated database system created pursuant to section 5503.10 of the Revised Code without the consent of, or beyond the scope of the express or implied consent of, the chair of the law enforcement automated data system steering committee.
(D) No person shall knowingly gain access to, attempt to gain access to, cause access to be granted to, or disseminate information gained from access to the Ohio law enforcement gateway established and operated pursuant to division (C)(1) of section 109.57 of the Revised Code without the consent of, or beyond the scope of the express or implied consent of, the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation.
(E) The affirmative defenses contained in division (C) of section 2913.03 of the Revised Code are affirmative defenses to a charge under this section.
(F)(1) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of unauthorized use of property.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in division (F)(3) or (4) of this section, unauthorized use of property is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(3) Except as otherwise provided in division (F)(4) of this section, if unauthorized use of property is committed for the purpose of devising or executing a scheme to defraud or to obtain property or services, unauthorized use of property is whichever of the following is applicable:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (F)(3)(b), (c), or (d) of this section, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(b) If the value of the property or services or the loss to the victim is one thousand dollars or more and is less than seven thousand five hundred dollars, a felony of the fifth degree.
(c) If the value of the property or services or the loss to the victim is seven thousand five hundred dollars or more and is less than one hundred fifty thousand dollars, a felony of the fourth degree.
(d) If the value of the property or services or the loss to the victim is one hundred fifty thousand dollars or more, a felony of the third degree.
(4) If the victim of the offense is an elderly person or disabled adult, unauthorized use of property is whichever of the following is applicable:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (F)(4)(b), (c), or (d) of this section, a felony of the fifth degree;
(b) If the value of the property or services or loss to the victim is one thousand dollars or more and is less than seven thousand five hundred dollars, a felony of the fourth degree;
(c) If the value of the property or services or loss to the victim is seven thousand five hundred dollars or more and is less than thirty-seven thousand five hundred dollars, a felony of the third degree;
(d) If the value of the property or services or loss to the victim is thirty-seven thousand five hundred dollars or more, a felony of the second degree.
(G)(1) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of unauthorized use of computer, cable, or telecommunication property, and shall be punished as provided in division (G)(2), (3), or (4) of this section.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in division (G)(3) or (4) of this section, unauthorized use of computer, cable, or telecommunication property is a felony of the fifth degree.
(3) Except as otherwise provided in division (G)(4) of this section, if unauthorized use of computer, cable, or telecommunication property is committed for the purpose of devising or executing a scheme to defraud or to obtain property or services, for obtaining money, property, or services by false or fraudulent pretenses, or for committing any other criminal offense, unauthorized use of computer, cable, or telecommunication property is whichever of the following is applicable:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (G)(3)(b) of this section, if the value of the property or services involved or the loss to the victim is seven thousand five hundred dollars or more and less than one hundred fifty thousand dollars, a felony of the fourth degree;
(b) If the value of the property or services involved or the loss to the victim is one hundred fifty thousand dollars or more, a felony of the third degree.
(4) If the victim of the offense is an elderly person or disabled adult, unauthorized use of computer, cable, or telecommunication property is whichever of the following is applicable:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (G)(4)(b), (c), or (d) of this section, a felony of the fifth degree;
(b) If the value of the property or services or loss to the victim is one thousand dollars or more and is less than seven thousand five hundred dollars, a felony of the fourth degree;
(c) If the value of the property or services or loss to the victim is seven thousand five hundred dollars or more and is less than thirty-seven thousand five hundred dollars, a felony of the third degree;
(d) If the value of the property or services or loss to the victim is thirty-seven thousand five hundred dollars or more, a felony of the second degree.
(H) Whoever violates division (C) of this section is guilty of unauthorized use of the law enforcement automated database system, a felony of the fifth degree.
(I) Whoever violates division (D) of this section is guilty of unauthorized use of the Ohio law enforcement gateway, a felony of the fifth degree.
(J) As used in this section:
(1) "Cable operator" means any person or group of persons that does either of the following:
(a) Provides cable service over a cable system and directly or through one or more affiliates owns a significant interest in that cable system;
(b) Otherwise controls or is responsible for, through any arrangement, the management and operation of a cable system.
(2) "Cable service" means any of the following:
(a) The one-way transmission to subscribers of video programming or of information that a cable operator makes available to all subscribers generally;
(b) Subscriber interaction, if any, that is required for the selection or use of video programming or of information that a cable operator makes available to all subscribers generally, both as described in division (J)(2)(a) of this section;
(c) Any cable television service.
(3) "Cable system" means any facility, consisting of a set of closed transmission paths and associated signal generation, reception, and control equipment that is designed to provide cable service that includes video programming and that is provided to multiple subscribers within a community. "Cable system" does not include any of the following:
(a) Any facility that serves only to retransmit the television signals of one or more television broadcast stations;
(b) Any facility that serves subscribers without using any public right-of-way;
(c) Any facility of a common carrier that, under 47 U.S.C.A. 522(7)(c), is excluded from the term "cable system" as defined in 47 U.S.C.A. 522(7);
(d) Any open video system that complies with 47 U.S.C.A. 573;
(e) Any facility of any electric utility used solely for operating its electric utility system.