West Virginia § 21-5-15 - 21-5-15. Violations; cease and desist orders and appeals therefrom; criminal penalties.

§ 21-5-15. 21-5-15. Violations; cease and desist orders and appeals therefrom; criminal penalties.

(a) Any person, firm or corporation who knowingly and willfully fails to provide and maintain an adequate bond as required by section fourteen of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $200 nor more than $5,000, or imprisoned in the county jail not more than one month, or both fined and imprisoned.

(b) Any person, firm or corporation who knowingly, willfully and fraudulently disposes of or relocates assets with intent to deprive employees of their wages and fringe benefits is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $5,000 nor more than $60,000, or imprisoned in the state correctional facility not less than one nor more than three years, or both fined and imprisoned.

(c) (1) At any time the commissioner determines that a person, firm or corporation has not provided or maintained an adequate bond, as required by section fourteen of this article, the commissioner shall issue a cease and desist order which is to be issued and posted requiring that said person, firm or corporation either post an adequate bond or cease further operations in this state within a period specified by the commissioner; which period shall be not less than five nor more than fourteen days. The cease and desist order may be issued by the commissioner at his or her own instance or at his or her direction, with or without application to or the approval of any other officer, agent, department or employee of the state or application to any court for approval thereof. Any person, firm or corporation who continues to engage in construction work or the severance, production or transportation of minerals without an approved bond after such specified period shall be guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $5,000 nor more than $30,000, or imprisoned in the penitentiary not less than one nor more than three years, or both fined and imprisoned. Any cease and desist order issued by the commissioner pursuant to this subsection may be directed by the commissioner to the sheriff of the county wherein the business activity of which the order is the subject, or to any officer or employee of the department, commanding such sheriff, officer or employee to serve such order upon the business in question within seventy-two hours and to make proper return thereof.

(2) Any other provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, any person against whom a cease and desist order has been directed shall be entitled to judicial review thereof by filing a verified petition taking an appeal therefrom within fifteen days from the date of service of such order. Such verified petition shall be filed in the circuit court of the county wherein service of the order was completed, at the option of the petitioner, or in the circuit court of Kanawha County, West Virginia. If the appeal is not perfected within such fifteen-day period, the cease and desist order shall be final and shall not thereafter be subject to judicial review. No appeal shall be deemed to have been perfected except upon the filing with the clerk of the circuit court of the county wherein the appeal is taken, of a bond or other security to be approved by the court, in an amount of not less than the amount of the bond otherwise required to be posted under the provisions of section fourteen of this article. The person so filing a petition of appeal shall cause a copy of the petition and bond or other posted security to be served upon the commissioner by certified mail, return receipt requested, within seven days after the date upon which the petition for appeal is filed.

(d) Any person who threatens any officer, agent or employee of the department or other person authorized to assist the commissioner in the performance of his or her duties under any provision of section fourteen of this article or of this section or who shall interfere with or attempt to prevent any such officer, agent, employee or other person in the performance of such duties shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined in an amount of not less than $1,000 nor more than $3,000 or imprisoned in the penitentiary not less than one nor more than three years, or both such fine and imprisonment.