A prank call to the local McDonald’s might seem to be nothing other than a comedy. What’s the most likely thing that can be the outcome? Do you think Ronald McDonald going to drag you into county jail?
It’s a shame to disappoint potential Pranksters but police could be involved, based on the nature of prank you’re planning to make. There are rules that govern Prank calls, and you can be sentenced to jail in the event of a practical comedy. An unintentional prank call could result in someone being charged with the charge of a misdemeanor, even criminal charge!
Most likely, the law that governs the prank call is the law against harassment. But, depending on your area of jurisdiction, additional laws such as ones that prohibit the conduct of a disorderly person, wiretapping or hate crimes could be applicable.
Let’s take a look at several types of prank phone calls that can be a reason to get arrested
- Inflicting harassment : There’s a small distinction between an unwelcome Prank phone call and an unauthorised phone call that is harassing. The general rule is that it can be illegal to make a phone call late at night , and then say an insensitive thing. You could also be breaking the law by calling repeatedly every 10 minutes or threaten to do so.
- disorderly conduct : Some states have definitions for disorderly conduct that comprise abusive and offensive language that is designed to incite anger among people. If a joke is to be considered disorderly It must be more than being a joke. Think about of verbal abuse, obscenities or other demeaning behavior.
- The Hate Crime : Hate crimes are like harassment but the motivation behind the act is to destroy the individual’s most fundamental characteristic like race, religion or sexual orientation. If you make a call to anyone with a thick accent, and then you ridicule the person’s voice or their nationality it could be an act of hate.
- The recording of wiretaps : It’s illegal in several states to keep a record of conversations on cell phones without the consent of the other party. However, many teenagers make prank calls in hopes to record a funny conversation and share it to their entire circle of friends. Take note that recording could result in a criminal conviction.
- Attacks on Bombs : Regardless of the reasons behind any bomb threat, the perpetrator is guilty of committing a serious crime. It is evident that using violence in mass quantities to carry out a prank can be extremely dangerous and reckless. Because of the heightened danger of threats to bombs the emergency services as well as the local police department could be involved.
If the prank you made actually led to criminal charges Contact an expert criminal defense lawyer to get legal counsel. Make sure that the attorney is aware that you’re seeking advice, and not simply calling to make a joke.