Ocultar o complicar delitos; penalidades en Virginia

Explicación Simple

Si alguien sabe que se cometió un delito y acepta dinero para no decir nada, puede meterse en problemas. Dependiendo de la gravedad del delito, la pena puede ser leve o más seria.

Es como si en un juego de fútbol, un jugador viera que su amigo hizo una falta y, en lugar de decirlo al árbitro, acepta un regalo a cambio de no contar nada. Ambos podrían ser sancionados.

Ejemplo Práctico

Imagina que Juan ve a su amigo Pedro robar una bicicleta. Si Juan acepta dinero de Pedro para no decirle a la policía lo que vio, él podría ser castigado por ocultar el delito, aunque no robó la bicicleta.

Penalidades

Si se oculta un delito grave, puede ser un delito grave de Clase 6; si es un delito menor, puede ser un delito menor de Clase 4 o 2.

Texto Original del Estatuto (Inglés)

Va. Code § 18.2-462 - Concealing or compounding offenses; penalties. A. Except as provided in subsection B, if any person knowing of the commission of an offense takes any money or reward, or an engagement therefor, upon an agreement or understanding, expressed or implied, to compound or conceal such offense, or not to prosecute therefor, or not to give evidence thereof, he shall, if such offense is a felony, be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor; and if such offense is not a felony, unless it is punishable merely by forfeiture to him, he shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor. B. Any person, other than the victim of the crime or the husband, wife, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother, or sister, by consanguinity or affinity of the offender, who with actual knowledge of the commission by another of any felony offense under Chapter 4 (§ 18.2-30 et seq.) of this title, willfully conceals, alters, dismembers, or destroys any item of physical evidence with the intent to delay, impede, obstruct, prevent, or hinder the investigation, apprehension, prosecution, conviction, or punishment of any person regarding such offense is guilty of a Class 6 felony. Code 1950, § 18.1-303; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 2005, c. 408 . Va. Code § 18.2-462.1 - Use of police radio during commission of crime. Any person who has in his possession or who uses a device capable of receiving a police radio signal, message, or transmission, while in the commission of a felony, is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. A prosecution for or conviction of the crime of use or possession of a police radio is not a bar to conviction for any other crime committed while possessing or using the police radio. 1992, c. 499.