{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/18.2-186.4.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/18.2-186.4.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/18.2-186.4.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/18.2-186.4.html"}],"law_id":350414,"edition_id":2,"section_id":350414,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-186.4","catch_line":"Use of a person’s identity with the intent to coerce, intimidate, or harass; penalty","history":"2001, cc. 775, 782; 2007, c. 736; 2010, c. 767; 2023, cc. 801, 802.","full_text":"It shall be unlawful for any person, with the intent to coerce, intimidate, or harass another person, to publish the person’s name or photograph along with identifying information as defined in clauses (iii) through (ix), or clause (xii) of subsection C of \u00a7 18.2-186.3, or identification of the person’s primary residence address. Any person who violates this section is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.\n\nAny person who violates this section knowing or having reason to know that person is a law-enforcement officer, as defined in \u00a7 9.1-101, or an active or retired federal or Virginia justice, judge, or magistrate is guilty of a Class 6 felony. The sentence shall include a mandatory minimum term of confinement of six months.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1305524,"text":"It shall be unlawful for any person, with the intent to coerce, intimidate, or harass another person, to publish the person’s name or photograph along with identifying information as defined in clauses (iii) through (ix), or clause (xii) of subsection C of \u00a7 18.2-186.3, or identification of the person’s primary residence address. Any person who violates this section is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1305525,"text":"Any person who violates this section knowing or having reason to know that person is a law-enforcement officer, as defined in \u00a7 9.1-101, or an active or retired federal or Virginia justice, judge, or magistrate is guilty of a Class 6 felony. The sentence shall include a mandatory minimum term of confinement of six months.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":50150,"edition_id":2,"name":"False Representations to Obtain Property or Credit","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":5,"parent_id":50144,"metadata":{"child_laws":16,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:23:21","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:19","permalink":{"id":1393091,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50150,"identifier":"5","token":"18.2\/6\/5","url":"\/18.2\/6\/5\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50144,"edition_id":2,"name":"Crimes Involving Fraud","identifier":"6","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":6,"parent_id":50131,"metadata":{"child_laws":136,"child_structures":11},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:23:18","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:19","permalink":{"id":1392935,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50144,"identifier":"6","token":"18.2\/6","url":"\/18.2\/6\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50131,"edition_id":2,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":52,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":960,"child_structures":94},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:22:59","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:15","permalink":{"id":1391141,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50131,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":350418,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-186","catch_line":"False statements to obtain property or credit","url":"\/18.2-186\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-186","metadata":false},{"id":350410,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-186.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-186.1\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-186.1","metadata":false},{"id":350411,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-186.2","catch_line":"False statements or failure to disclose material facts in order to obtain aid or benefits under any local, state or federal housing assistance program","url":"\/18.2-186.2\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-186.2","metadata":false},{"id":350412,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-186.3","catch_line":"Identity theft; penalty; restitution; victim assistance","url":"\/18.2-186.3\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-186.3","metadata":false},{"id":350413,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-186.3:1","catch_line":"Identity fraud; consumer reporting agencies; police reports","url":"\/18.2-186.3_1\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-186.3_1","metadata":false},{"id":350414,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-186.4","catch_line":"Use of a person's identity with the intent to coerce, intimidate, or harass; penalty","url":"\/18.2-186.4\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-186.4","metadata":false},{"id":350415,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-186.4:1","catch_line":"Internet publication of personal information of certain public officials","url":"\/18.2-186.4_1\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-186.4_1","metadata":false},{"id":350416,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-186.5","catch_line":"Expungement of false identity information from police and court records; Identity Theft Passport","url":"\/18.2-186.5\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-186.5","metadata":false},{"id":350417,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-186.6","catch_line":"Breach of personal information notification","url":"\/18.2-186.6\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-186.6","metadata":false},{"id":350421,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-187","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-187\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-187","metadata":false},{"id":350419,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-187.1","catch_line":"Obtaining or attempting to obtain oil, electric, gas, water, telephone, telegraph, cable television or electronic communication service without payment; penalty; civil liability","url":"\/18.2-187.1\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-187.1","metadata":false},{"id":350420,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-187.2","catch_line":"Audiovisual recording of motion pictures unlawful; penalty","url":"\/18.2-187.2\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-187.2","metadata":false},{"id":350423,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-188","catch_line":"Defrauding hotels, motels, campgrounds, boardinghouses, etc","url":"\/18.2-188\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-188","metadata":false},{"id":350422,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-188.1","catch_line":"Defrauding person having a lien on an animal; penalty","url":"\/18.2-188.1\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-188.1","metadata":false},{"id":350424,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-189","catch_line":"Defrauding keeper of motor vehicles or watercraft","url":"\/18.2-189\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-189","metadata":false},{"id":350434,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-190","catch_line":"Fraudulent misrepresentation as to breed of bull or cattle","url":"\/18.2-190\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-190","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":350413,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-186.3:1","catch_line":"Identity fraud; consumer reporting agencies; police reports","url":"\/18.2-186.3_1\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-186.3_1","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":350415,"structure_id":50150,"section_number":"18.2-186.4:1","catch_line":"Internet publication of personal information of certain public officials","url":"\/18.2-186.4_1\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-186.4_1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-186.4\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2001. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 775<\/a> and 782<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2007, chapter 736<\/a>; in 2010, chapter 767<\/a>; in 2023, chapters 801<\/a> and 802<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":353353,"section_number":"2.2-511","catch_line":"Criminal cases","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-511\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":350412,"section_number":"18.2-186.3","catch_line":"Identity theft; penalty; restitution; victim assistance","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-186.3\/"},{"id":378510,"section_number":"9.1-101","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/9.1-101\/"}],"permalink":{"id":1393113,"object_type":"law","relational_id":350414,"identifier":"18.2-186.4","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-186.4","url":"\/18.2-186.4\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-186.4\/","token":"18.2\/6\/5\/18.2-186.4","dublin_core":{"Title":"Use of a person’s identity with the intent to coerce, intimidate, or harass; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-186.4","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

It shall be unlawful for any person, with the intent<\/span> to coerce, intimidate, or harass another person, to publish the person’s name or photograph along with identifying information as defined in clauses (iii) through (ix), or clause (xii) of subsection C of \u00a7 18.2-186.3<\/a>, or identification of the person’s primary residence address. Any person who violates this section is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor<\/span>.<\/p>

Any person who violates this section knowing or having reason to know that person is a law<\/span>-enforcement officer, as defined in \u00a7 9.1-101<\/a>, or an active or retired federal or Virginia justice, judge<\/span>, or magistrate<\/span> is guilty of a Class 6 felony<\/span>. The sentence shall include a mandatory minimum term of confinement of six months.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nUSE OF A PERSON’S IDENTITY WITH THE INTENT TO COERCE, INTIMIDATE, OR\nHARASS; PENALTY (\u00a7 18.2-186.4)\n\nIt shall be unlawful for any person, with the intent to coerce, intimidate, or\nharass another person, to publish the person’s name or photograph along\nwith identifying information as defined in clauses (iii) through (ix), or clause\n(xii) of subsection C of \u00a7 18.2-186.3, or identification of the person’s\nprimary residence address. Any person who violates this section is guilty of a\nClass 1 misdemeanor.\n\nAny person who violates this section knowing or having reason to know that\nperson is a law-enforcement officer, as defined in \u00a7 9.1-101, or an active or\nretired federal or Virginia justice, judge, or magistrate is guilty of a Class 6\nfelony. The sentence shall include a mandatory minimum term of confinement of\nsix months.\n\nHISTORY: 2001, cc. 775, 782; 2007, c. 736; 2010, c. 767; 2023, cc. 801, 802.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}