Kidnapping in the First Degree

Kidnapping in the First Degree, New York Penal Law 135.25, essentially amounts to the broad crime of Kidnapping in the Second Degree with one of a few aggravating factors, which also serve to narrow the kinds of circumstances where this crime is charged by police departments and District Attorneys. Kidnapping in the First Degree is an A-I Felony punishable by life in prison. A person can be charged with Kidnapping in the First Degree when they commit the crime of Kidnapping in the Second Degree in that they abduct a person, and either: when their intent is the hold the person for ransom or compel someone to do or not do something (what might be called “traditional” Kidnapping); when the victim is held for more than 12 hours with intent to inflict injury on them, sexually abuse them, advance some other felony, or terrorizes the victim or another person, or interfere with a government or political function; or when the person abducted dies. Just a snapshot of what is arguably one of the most serious offenses in the New York Penal Law, to better understand PL 135.25 it is critical to consult with your criminal defense lawyer.