§ 51-19-14 — Criminal penalties

1. Any person who willfully violates any provision of this chapter or who willfully violates
any rule or order under this chapter is guilty of a class B felony.
2. Any person who willfully employs, directly or indirectly, any device, scheme, or artifice
to defraud in connection with the offer or sale of any franchise or willfully engages,
directly or indirectly, in any act, practice, or course of business which operates or
would operate as a fraud or deceit upon any person in connection with the offer,
purchase, or sale of any franchise is guilty of a class B felony.
3. Nothing in this chapter limits the power of the state to punish any person for any
conduct that constitutes a crime.
4. An information must be filed or an indictment must be found under this chapter within
five years after the commissioner or criminal prosecutor knew or reasonably should
have known about the facts that are the basis for the prosecution.
5. "Willfully" means the person was aware of the consequences of the person's actions,
and proof of evil motive or intent to violate the law or knowledge that the law was being

violated is not required. Each act or omission is a separate offense, and a prosecution
or conviction for an offense does not bar a prosecution or conviction for any other
offense.