Montana Code Annotated 2021

TITLE 45. CRIMES

CHAPTER 6. OFFENSES AGAINST PROPERTY

Part 1. Criminal Mischief and Arson

Arson

45-6-103. Arson. (1) A person commits the offense of arson when, by means of fire or explosives, the person knowingly or purposely:

(a) damages or destroys a structure, vehicle, personal property (other than a vehicle) that exceeds $1,500 in value, crop, pasture, forest, or other real property that is property of another without consent;

(b) damages or destroys a structure, vehicle, crop, pasture, forest, or other property that the person owns or has a possessory interest in, with the purpose of obtaining a pecuniary or other gain through fraud or deception; or

(c) places another person in danger of death or bodily injury, including a firefighter responding to or at the scene of a fire or explosion.

(2) A person convicted of the offense of arson shall be imprisoned in the state prison for a term not to exceed 20 years or be fined an amount not to exceed $50,000, or both.

History: En. 94-6-104 by Sec. 1, Ch. 513, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 261, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 94-6-104; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 198, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 590, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 124, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 397, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 473, L. 2009.