Penalty based on value (31.03) applies to which offense?

• A. False Statement to obtain property/ credit/ certain services
• B. EXPLOITATION OF CHILD, ELDERLY INDIVIDUAL, OR DISABLED INDIVIDUAL
• C. Fraudulent Use or Possession of Identifying Information
• D. Issuing a Bad Check

Answer: (A)

Penalties based on the value of what’s obtained are used for fraud-type offenses where deception is used to gain property, credit, or services. The act of making a false statement to obtain property or credit or services is exactly that kind of offense: the more value you obtain through the deception, the higher the potential punishment under this statute. This value-based approach helps scale the consequence with the impact of the fraud.

The other offenses listed are governed by different rules and don’t hinge on the value of property or services obtained in the same way. Exploitation of a vulnerable person, fraudulent use or possession of identifying information, and issuing a bad check each have their own statutory penalties that aren’t primarily tied to a value-based scale like the false-statement-for-property/credit offense.