Maine criminal charge
Escape in Maine
Current through 2026 Maine legislative session
Escape is a criminal offense under Maine law, defined by 17-A M.R.S. § 755. Its classification is not fixed: Maine 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 17-A M.R.S. § 755.
What is the penalty for escape in Maine?
| Penalty | Range | Basis | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Escape from official custody — Person intentionally leaves official custody or fails to return from a temporary leave without official permission.; statutory default maximum (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(C)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum, and mandatory minimums apply to certain crimes (§1604(3))) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Escape from official custody — Person intentionally leaves official custody or fails to return from a temporary leave without official permission.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(3)); organizations up to $20,000 (§1705); statute-specific and alternative fines may exceed (§1706)) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 10 years (Escape from official custody with force or weapon — Violates (1)(A) and at the time uses or threatens physical force or is armed with a dangerous weapon.; statutory default maximum (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(B)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum, and mandatory minimums apply to certain crimes (§1604(3))) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $20,000 (Escape from official custody with force or weapon — Violates (1)(A) and at the time uses or threatens physical force or is armed with a dangerous weapon.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(2)); organizations up to $40,000 (§1705); statute-specific and alternative fines may exceed (§1706)) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Escape from supervised community confinement — Person fails to return to the correctional facility or violates a curfew, residence, time or travel restriction while on supervised community confinement.; statutory default maximum (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(C)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum, and mandatory minimums apply to certain crimes (§1604(3))) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Escape from supervised community confinement — Person fails to return to the correctional facility or violates a curfew, residence, time or travel restriction while on supervised community confinement.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(3)); organizations up to $20,000 (§1705); statute-specific and alternative fines may exceed (§1706)) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 10 years (Escape from supervised community confinement with force or weapon — Violates (1-B)(A) and at the time uses or threatens physical force or is armed with a dangerous weapon.; statutory default maximum (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(B)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum, and mandatory minimums apply to certain crimes (§1604(3))) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $20,000 (Escape from supervised community confinement with force or weapon — Violates (1-B)(A) and at the time uses or threatens physical force or is armed with a dangerous weapon.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(2)); organizations up to $40,000 (§1705); statute-specific and alternative fines may exceed (§1706)) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 364 days (Escape from furlough or rehabilitative program — Person on furlough or rehabilitative program intentionally goes to a location other than permitted by the leave terms.; the statutory maximum is 'less than one year' (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(D)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $2,000 (Escape from furlough or rehabilitative program — Person on furlough or rehabilitative program intentionally goes to a location other than permitted by the leave terms.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(4)); organizations up to $10,000 (§1705); statute-specific fines may differ) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 10 years (Escape from furlough or rehabilitative program with force or weapon — Violates (1-C)(A) and at the time uses or threatens physical force or is armed with a dangerous weapon.; statutory default maximum (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(B)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum, and mandatory minimums apply to certain crimes (§1604(3))) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $20,000 (Escape from furlough or rehabilitative program with force or weapon — Violates (1-C)(A) and at the time uses or threatens physical force or is armed with a dangerous weapon.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(2)); organizations up to $40,000 (§1705); statute-specific and alternative fines may exceed (§1706)) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 364 days (Escape from arrest or transport — Arrested person leaves before or during transport to initial detention or court without official permission.; the statutory maximum is 'less than one year' (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(D)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $2,000 (Escape from arrest or transport — Arrested person leaves before or during transport to initial detention or court without official permission.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(4)); organizations up to $10,000 (§1705); statute-specific fines may differ) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 10 years (Escape from arrest or transport with force or weapon — Violates (1-D)(A) and at the time uses or threatens physical force or is armed with a dangerous weapon.; statutory default maximum (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(B)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum, and mandatory minimums apply to certain crimes (§1604(3))) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $20,000 (Escape from arrest or transport with force or weapon — Violates (1-D)(A) and at the time uses or threatens physical force or is armed with a dangerous weapon.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(2)); organizations up to $40,000 (§1705); statute-specific and alternative fines may exceed (§1706)) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Escape from community confinement monitoring program — Person leaves or fails to return within 12 hours to residence or designated monitored area without official permission.; statutory default maximum (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(C)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum, and mandatory minimums apply to certain crimes (§1604(3))) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Escape from community confinement monitoring program — Person leaves or fails to return within 12 hours to residence or designated monitored area without official permission.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(3)); organizations up to $20,000 (§1705); statute-specific and alternative fines may exceed (§1706)) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Jail / prison | up to 10 years (Escape from community confinement monitoring program with force or weapon — Violates (1-E)(A) and at the time uses or threatens physical force or is armed with a dangerous weapon.; statutory default maximum (17-A M.R.S. §1604(1)(B)); individual statutes may specify a different maximum, and mandatory minimums apply to certain crimes (§1604(3))) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
| Fine | up to $20,000 (Escape from community confinement monitoring program with force or weapon — Violates (1-E)(A) and at the time uses or threatens physical force or is armed with a dangerous weapon.; maximum for an individual (17-A M.R.S. §1704(2)); organizations up to $40,000 (§1705); statute-specific and alternative fines may exceed (§1706)) | discretionary | 17-A M.R.S. § 1604 |
Applies to current (PL 2019, c. 113 recodification).
How is escape classified in Maine?
The classification depends on the circumstances:
| Variant | Classification | When it applies | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escape from official custody | Class C Crime | Person intentionally leaves official custody or fails to return from a temporary leave without official permission. | 17-A M.R.S. § 755(1)(A) |
| Escape from official custody with force or weapon | Class B Crime | Violates (1)(A) and at the time uses or threatens physical force or is armed with a dangerous weapon. | 17-A M.R.S. § 755(1)(B) |
| Escape from supervised community confinement | Class C Crime | Person fails to return to the correctional facility or violates a curfew, residence, time or travel restriction while on supervised community confinement. | 17-A M.R.S. § 755(1-B)(A) |
| Escape from supervised community confinement with force or weapon | Class B Crime | Violates (1-B)(A) and at the time uses or threatens physical force or is armed with a dangerous weapon. | 17-A M.R.S. § 755(1-B)(B) |
| Escape from furlough or rehabilitative program | Class D Crime | Person on furlough or rehabilitative program intentionally goes to a location other than permitted by the leave terms. | 17-A M.R.S. § 755(1-C)(A) |
| Escape from furlough or rehabilitative program with force or weapon | Class B Crime | Violates (1-C)(A) and at the time uses or threatens physical force or is armed with a dangerous weapon. | 17-A M.R.S. § 755(1-C)(B) |
| Escape from arrest or transport | Class D Crime | Arrested person leaves before or during transport to initial detention or court without official permission. | 17-A M.R.S. § 755(1-D)(A) |
| Escape from arrest or transport with force or weapon | Class B Crime | Violates (1-D)(A) and at the time uses or threatens physical force or is armed with a dangerous weapon. | 17-A M.R.S. § 755(1-D)(B) |
| Escape from community confinement monitoring program | Class C Crime | Person leaves or fails to return within 12 hours to residence or designated monitored area without official permission. | 17-A M.R.S. § 755(1-E)(A) |
| Escape from community confinement monitoring program with force or weapon | Class B Crime | Violates (1-E)(A) and at the time uses or threatens physical force or is armed with a dangerous weapon. | 17-A M.R.S. § 755(1-E)(B) |
Common questions about escape in Maine
What class of crime is escape in Maine?
It depends on the circumstances: escape ranges from a Class D Crime to a Class B Crime in Maine under 17-A M.R.S. § 755.
Escape from official custody: Class C Crime (17-A M.R.S. § 755(1)(A)) · Escape from official custody with force or weapon: Class B Crime (17-A M.R.S. § 755(1)(B)) · Escape from supervised community confinement: Class C Crime (17-A M.R.S. § 755(1-B)(A)) · Escape from supervised community confinement with force or weapon: Class B Crime (17-A M.R.S. § 755(1-B)(B)) · Escape from furlough or rehabilitative program: Class D Crime (17-A M.R.S. § 755(1-C)(A)) · Escape from furlough or rehabilitative program with force or weapon: Class B Crime (17-A M.R.S. § 755(1-C)(B)) · Escape from arrest or transport: Class D Crime (17-A M.R.S. § 755(1-D)(A)) · Escape from arrest or transport with force or weapon: Class B Crime (17-A M.R.S. § 755(1-D)(B)) · Escape from community confinement monitoring program: Class C Crime (17-A M.R.S. § 755(1-E)(A)) · Escape from community confinement monitoring program with force or weapon: Class B Crime (17-A M.R.S. § 755(1-E)(B))
What are the penalties for escape in Maine?
Penalties for escape in Maine depend on how it is classified — from a Class D Crime up to a Class B Crime — with the ranges set by 17-A M.R.S. § 1604; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.
Which Maine statute covers escape?
Escape is governed by 17-A M.R.S. § 755 (Escape).
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.