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Virginia statute

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-164 — Unlawful use of, or injury to, telephone and telegraph lines; copying or obstructing messages; penalty

Current through 2026 Regular Session

Part of Article 8: Offenses Relating to Railroads and Other Utilities, Code of Virginia.

Criminal charges under this statute

Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-164

Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the text of the Code of Virginia from the official Virginia Law Portal API published by the Virginia General Assembly's Division of Legislative Automated Systems; it is not the official Code of Virginia.

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-164Primary source, current through the 2026 Regular Session
A. If any person commits any of the following acts, he is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor: 1. Maliciously injure, molest, cut down, or destroy any telephone or telegraph line, wire, cable, pole, tower, or the material or property belonging thereto; 2. Maliciously cut, break, tap, or make any connection with any telephone or telegraph line, wire, cable, or instrument of any telegraph or telephone company which has legally acquired the right-of-way by purchase, condemnation, or otherwise; 3. Maliciously copy in any unauthorized manner any message, either social, business, or otherwise, passing over any telephone or telegraph line, wire, cable, or wireless telephone transmission in the Commonwealth; 4. Willfully or maliciously prevent, obstruct, or delay by any means or contrivance whatsoever the sending, conveyance, or delivery in the Commonwealth of any authorized communication by or through any telephone or telegraph line, wire, cable, or wireless transmission device under the control of any telephone or telegraph company doing business in the Commonwealth; 5. Maliciously aid, agree with, employ, or conspire with any unauthorized person or persons unlawfully to do or cause to be done any of the acts hereinbefore mentioned. B. If any person, with the intent to prevent another person from summoning law-enforcement, fire, or rescue services: 1. Commits any act set forth in subsection A; or 2. Maliciously prevents or interferes with telephone or telegraph communication by disabling or destroying any device that enables such communication, whether wired or wireless, he is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is unlawful use of, or injury to, telephone and telegraph lines a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?

It depends on the circumstances: unlawful use of, or injury to, telephone and telegraph lines ranges from a class 2 misdemeanor to a class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-164.

Unlawful use of, or injury to, telephone and telegraph lines: class 2 misdemeanor (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-164A) · Interference with telephone or telegraph service to prevent summoning emergency services: class 1 misdemeanor (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-164B)

Which Virginia statute covers unlawful use of, or injury to, telephone and telegraph lines?

Unlawful use of, or injury to, telephone and telegraph lines is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-164 (Unlawful use of, or injury to, telephone and telegraph lines; copying or obstructing messages; penalty).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.