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Massachussetts Kidnapping/Abduction Laws

According to ALM GL ch. 265, § 26, a person commits kidnapping if s/he without lawful authority, forcibly or secretly confines or imprisons another person against his or her will, or forcibly carries or sends such person out of Massachusetts, or forcibly seizes and confines or kidnaps another person, with intent either to cause him or her to be secretly confined or imprisoned against his or her will.

Essential element of kidnapping is not the level of violence but rather the defendant’s forcible or secret confinement or imprisonment of the victim against his will.[i]

Kidnapping is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 10 years or by a fine up to $1,000 and imprisonment in jail for not more than two years.  If the offender is armed with a firearm, rifle, shotgun, machine gun or assault weapon s/he shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than ten years or in the house of correction for not more than two and one-half years.  If the person commits kidnapping with the intent to extort money or other valuable thing s/he shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for life or for any term of years.  If the offender is armed with a firearm, rifle, shotgun, machine gun or assault weapon s/he shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for life or for any term of years but not less than 20 years.

If the offender armed with a dangerous weapon, inflicts serious bodily injury upon the victim, which results in a permanent disfigurement, protracted loss or impairment of a bodily function, limb or organ or substantial risk of death or sexually assaults the victim, the offender shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 25 years.  If the victim is a child under the age of 16, the offender shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 15 years.

Massachusetts State Police is an agency of Executive Office of Public Safety.  Massachusetts State Police is the principal law enforcement agency aims at reducing crimes.

Massachusetts State Police – Executive Office of Public Safety

[i] Commonwealth v. Robinson, 48 Mass. App. Ct. 329, 334, 720 N.E.2d 480 (1999)


Inside Massachussetts Kidnapping/Abduction Laws