Florida criminal charge
Tampering with or harassing a witness, victim, or informant; penalties in Florida
Tampering with or harassing a witness, victim, or informant; penalties is a criminal offense under Florida law, defined by Fla. Stat. § 914.22. Its classification is not fixed: Florida assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.
Defined by Fla. Stat. § 914.22.
How is tampering with or harassing a witness, victim, or informant; penalties classified in Florida?
The classification depends on the circumstances:
| Variant | Classification | When it applies | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampering with a witness — misdemeanor investigation | Felony of the Third Degree | The official investigation or proceeding affected involves the investigation or prosecution of a misdemeanor. | Fla. Stat. § 914.22(2)(a) |
| Tampering with a witness — third degree felony investigation | Felony of the Second Degree | The official investigation or proceeding affected involves the investigation or prosecution of a third degree felony. | Fla. Stat. § 914.22(2)(b) |
| Tampering with a witness — second degree felony investigation | Felony of the First Degree | The official investigation or proceeding affected involves the investigation or prosecution of a second degree felony. | Fla. Stat. § 914.22(2)(c) |
| Tampering with a witness — first degree felony investigation | Felony of the First Degree | The official investigation or proceeding affected involves the investigation or prosecution of a first degree felony or a first degree felony punishable by a term of years not exceeding life. | Fla. Stat. § 914.22(2)(d) |
| Tampering with a witness — life or capital felony investigation | Life Felony | The official investigation or proceeding affected involves the investigation or prosecution of a life or capital felony. | Fla. Stat. § 914.22(2)(e) |
| Tampering with a witness — indeterminable or noncriminal investigation | Felony of the Third Degree | The offense level of the affected investigation or proceeding is indeterminable, or the investigation or proceeding is noncriminal. | Fla. Stat. § 914.22(2)(f) |
| Harassing a witness — misdemeanor investigation | Misdemeanor of the First Degree | The official investigation or proceeding affected involves the investigation or prosecution of a misdemeanor. | Fla. Stat. § 914.22(4)(a) |
| Harassing a witness — third degree felony investigation | Felony of the Third Degree | The official investigation or proceeding affected involves the investigation or prosecution of a third degree felony. | Fla. Stat. § 914.22(4)(b) |
| Harassing a witness — second degree felony investigation | Felony of the Second Degree | The official investigation or proceeding affected involves the investigation or prosecution of a second degree felony. | Fla. Stat. § 914.22(4)(c) |
| Harassing a witness — first degree felony investigation | Felony of the First Degree | The official investigation or proceeding affected involves the investigation or prosecution of a first degree felony. | Fla. Stat. § 914.22(4)(d) |
| Harassing a witness — first degree felony (life term) or life/capital felony investigation | Felony of the First Degree | The official investigation or proceeding affected involves the investigation or prosecution of a first degree felony punishable by a term of years not exceeding life, or a life or capital felony. | Fla. Stat. § 914.22(4)(e) |
| Harassing a witness — indeterminable or noncriminal investigation | Felony of the Third Degree | The offense level of the affected investigation or proceeding is indeterminable, or the investigation or proceeding is noncriminal. | Fla. Stat. § 914.22(4)(f) |
Common questions about tampering with or harassing a witness, victim, or informant; penalties in Florida
Is tampering with or harassing a witness, victim, or informant; penalties a felony or a misdemeanor in Florida?
It depends on the circumstances: tampering with or harassing a witness, victim, or informant; penalties ranges from a Misdemeanor of the First Degree to a Life Felony in Florida under Fla. Stat. § 914.22.
Tampering with a witness — misdemeanor investigation: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 914.22(2)(a)) · Tampering with a witness — third degree felony investigation: Felony of the Second Degree (Fla. Stat. § 914.22(2)(b)) · Tampering with a witness — second degree felony investigation: Felony of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 914.22(2)(c)) · Tampering with a witness — first degree felony investigation: Felony of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 914.22(2)(d)) · Tampering with a witness — life or capital felony investigation: Life Felony (Fla. Stat. § 914.22(2)(e)) · Tampering with a witness — indeterminable or noncriminal investigation: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 914.22(2)(f)) · Harassing a witness — misdemeanor investigation: Misdemeanor of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 914.22(4)(a)) · Harassing a witness — third degree felony investigation: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 914.22(4)(b)) · Harassing a witness — second degree felony investigation: Felony of the Second Degree (Fla. Stat. § 914.22(4)(c)) · Harassing a witness — first degree felony investigation: Felony of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 914.22(4)(d)) · Harassing a witness — first degree felony (life term) or life/capital felony investigation: Felony of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 914.22(4)(e)) · Harassing a witness — indeterminable or noncriminal investigation: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 914.22(4)(f))
Which Florida statute covers tampering with or harassing a witness, victim, or informant; penalties?
Tampering with or harassing a witness, victim, or informant; penalties is governed by Fla. Stat. § 914.22 (Tampering with or harassing a witness, victim, or informant; penalties).
Legal terms used in this law
This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.