New York statute
N.Y. Penal Law § 145.26 — Aggravated cemetery desecration in the second degree
Current through 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17)
Part of Article 145: Criminal Mischief and Related Offenses, New York Penal Law.
Full text of N.Y. Penal Law § 145.26
Statutory text current through the 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17). This publication reproduces the text of the Consolidated Laws of New York as provided by the New York State Senate's Open Legislation service (Legislative Bill Drafting Commission statutory text); it is not the official statutes of the State of New York.
145.26 Aggravated cemetery desecration in the second degree.
A person is guilty of aggravated cemetery desecration in the second
degree when, having no right to do so nor any reasonable ground to
believe that he or she has such right, he or she opens a casket, crypt,
or similar vessel containing a human body or human remains which has
been buried or otherwise interred in a cemetery and unlawfully removes
therefrom a body, bodily part, any human remains or any object contained
in such casket, crypt or similar vessel for the purpose of obtaining
unlawful possession of such body, bodily part, human remains or object
for such person or a third person.
Aggravated cemetery desecration in the second degree is a class E
felony.
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