Rhode Island § 19-9-25 - Community Obligations and Banking Offenses

§ 19-9-25. Fraudulent checks — Large amounts.

(a) Any person who purchases any goods, materials, or services, pays for that purchase by check, draft, or order for payment of money, and takes possession of the item, and who subsequently orders payment stopped on the check, draft, or order for payment, or who, with intent to defraud, makes, draws, utters, or delivers any check, draft, or order for the payment of money, in an amount exceeding one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500), upon any regulated institution or other depository, knowing at the time of making, drawing, uttering, or delivering that the maker or drawer has not sufficient funds in, or credit with, that regulated institution or other depository for the payment of the check, draft, or order, in full, upon its presentation, shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000), or be imprisoned not more than two (2) years, or may be subjected to both fine and imprisonment.

(b) With regard to the purchase of any goods or materials, it shall not be in violation of this section if goods or materials are returned to the vendor within three (3) business days of the filing of the stop payment order.

(c) The word “credit” means an arrangement or understanding with the regulated institution or other depository for the payment of the check, draft, or order.

(d) Any person violating any of these provisions may be prosecuted and proceeded against in any judicial district or in any county in which the offense was committed, or in which the check, draft, or order was uttered or delivered.