§ 5-38-202 - Causing a catastrophe -- Threatening to cause a catastrophe.
5-38-202. Causing a catastrophe -- Threatening to cause a catastrophe.
(a) (1) A person commits the offense of causing a catastrophe if he or she knowingly causes a catastrophe by:
(A) Explosion;
(B) Fire;
(C) Flood;
(D) Avalanche;
(E) Collapse of building;
(F) Distribution of a poison, radioactive material, bacteria, or virus; or
(G) Another dangerous and difficult to confine force or substance.
(2) Causing a catastrophe is a Class Y felony.
(b) (1) A person commits the offense of threatening to cause a catastrophe if he or she:
(A) Contacts any person, company, corporation, or governmental entity; and
(B) Threatens to cause a catastrophe by explosion, fire, flood, avalanche, collapse of building, release of a poison, radioactive material, bacteria, or virus, or another dangerous and difficult to confine force or substance, unless:
(i) Paid a sum of money or any type of property; or
(ii) The person, company, corporation, or governmental entity performs a requested act.
(2) Threatening to cause a catastrophe is a Class D felony.
(c) In addition to any other restitution ordered under 5-4-205, a court may order that a person who violates this section make restitution to the state or any political subdivision of the state for any cleanup costs associated with the commission of the offense.