Nevada "False Impersonation" Laws
(NRS 205.450)
Las Vegas Criminal Defense Lawyers
Pretending to be someone else can be a serious offense in Nevada, especially if it causes that person to sustain monetary damages. The punishment carries not only prison and fines . . . potential employers may decide not to hire you if you have a false impersonation charge on your record.
Our Las Vegas criminal defense attorneys have decades of experience in negotiating charges down to lesser offenses or even full dismissals. We're also successful trial lawyers who've achieved several "not guilty" verdicts. To learn more about Las Vegas false personation law and how we can help, keep reading.
Definition
The legal definition of "personating another" in Las Vegas, Nevada, applies when someone falsely represents themselves as someone else in any of the following circumstances:
- getting married
- making a real estate transaction
- confessing to a crime or civil judgment
- acting as bail or surety in any legal proceeding
- doing any other act in the course of a lawsuit or proceeding that compromises another's financial interests
Note that prosecutors often bring false impersonation charges in conjunction with additional criminal charges depending on the circumstances of the case. For example, false personation cases may involve the Nevada crime of larceny, the Nevada crime of receiving stolen property, and the Nevada crime of fraud as well.
Real vs. fictional impersonation
Nevada's false impersonation law only makes it a crime to pass yourself off as someone who's real, not a fictional character. However posing as a made-up person to a cop could subject you to charges for "obstructing a public officer." Obstruction is a misdemeanor in Nevada carrying up to six months in jail and/or up to $1,000 in fines. (NRS 197.190)
Defenses
The nature of the Nevada offense of false personation lends itself to several possible defense strategies that may prove very effective in fighting criminal charges. The following are three of the more common tactics:
- Prior authorization: In some circumstances, you may escape criminal liability for personating another as long as you secured that person's permission first and no one else sustained damage from your actions.
- False allegations: It's not uncommon for innocent people to be wrongly accused by others out of anger or a simple accident. But as long as the prosecution can't produce sufficient evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, false impersonation charges shouldn't stand.
- Police misconduct: Sometimes cops break the law during criminal investigations such as by performing an unconstitutional search, seizure or arrest. In these cases your attorney may file a Las Vegas motion to suppress evidence, which asks the court to disregard any evidence found from the police's illegal activity. Ultimately your entire case may be dropped if the D.A. is left with insufficient proof.
Penalties
The Las Vegas crime of false personation is prosecuted as a category C felony in Nevada. The sentence may include:
- 1 – 5 years in Nevada State Prison, and
- maybe up to $10,000 in crimes
Note that any property someone allegedly receives under an assumed persona will be considered "stolen." In these situations false impersonation charges may be accompanied by theft charges that carry similar felony penalties.
False impersonation of a public officer (NRS 197.120)
Nevada has a separate crime for false impersonation of a public officer, such as a cop or statesman. It's only a gross misdemeanor in Nevada, carrying up to one year in jail and/or up to $2,000 in fines.
Charged with a crime? Call us . . . .
If you've been accused of false impersonation under NRS 205.450 in Nevada, we can help. Call 702-DEFENSE (333-3673) for a free consultation with our Las Vegas criminal defense attorneys. We may be able to get your charges lowered or thrown out altogether, and we're always prepared to fight for you all the way to trial.
For more information go to our articles on Category C felony in Nevada, misdemeanor in Nevada, gross misdemeanor in Nevada, Nevada motion to suppress, Nevada crime of receiving stolen property, Nevada crime of larceny, and Nevada crime of fraud. To learn about California false impersonation laws, go to our webpage on California false impersonation laws (Penal Code 529 PC).
