Stalking crimes

Stalking Crimes Defined by Nevada Criminal Lawyer

Nevada law criminalizes both harassment and stalking. Harassment and stalking are classified as crimes against persons since there is a victim who could sustain potential physical or mental harm as a result of the wrongful acts. Harassment and stalking are thus defined by Nevada law in Chapter 200 of Title 15, as Chapter 200 is the part of Nevada’s penal code where all crimes against persons are defined.

Harassment and stalking have their own subcategory in Chapter 200, with several statutes that define each crime, provide information on the issuance of protective orders for victims, detail how law enforcement agencies are informed of protective orders, and specify the information that is to be provided to victims.

LV Criminal Defense can provide assistance to defendants who are accused of either stalking or harassment. We have in-depth knowledge of the laws related to crimes against persons that are found in Chapter 200 of Nevada’s criminal code and we have represented many defendants accused of crimes within this part of the penal code. To find out about how we can help you to understand and respond to stalking charges, give us a call today.

Nevada Revised Statute Section 200.575: Stalking Crimes Defined

The crime of stalking is defined in Nevada Revised Statute section 200.575. Under this statute, an individual can be found guilty of stalking if that individual embarks, without lawful authority, on a course of conduct that would cause a reasonable person to feel frightened, terrorized, harassed, intimidated, or fearful for himself or for a household member.

The prosecutor must prove that the defendant acted willfully or maliciously in embarking upon this course of conduct designed to cause fear, intimation, or a feeling of being harassed. The prosecutor also must prove that the defendant’s conduct actually caused the victim to experience terror or to feel harassed, intimidated, or frightened for his own safety or their safety of a family member or household member.

If a defendant is convicted of stalking and the offense is his first one, the defendant will typically be found guilty of a misdemeanor, according to N.R.S. 200.575. However, if the defendant has committed the crime of stalking before and is convicted of a second or subsequent offense, the defendant will be found guilty of a felony offense.

If a defendant commits the crime of stalking and, as part of his conduct, the defendant threatens the victim with the intent to cause the victim to feel a reasonable fear of imminent death or substantial bodily harm, the defendant can be charged with aggravated stalking. If convicted, this is a Category B felony and the potential penalty could include a minimum of two years of imprisonment and a maximum of 15 years of imprisonment, along with a fine of up to $5,000.

If a defendant commits the crime of stalking and uses the Internet or other electronic means of communication, such as texting or emailing, in order to distribute information in a way that substantially increases the risk of harm or violence to the victim, the defendant can be charged with a Category C felony.

The statute also makes clear that penalties imposed for stalking under N.R.S. 200.575 can be imposed in addition to other penalties for criminal offenses that result from the same conduct that is classified as stalking. Further, penalties set forth in the relevant statute also do not preclude the victim of the stalking to pursue other legal remedies.