Section 10-403 - Manufacture, possession, or sale of intercepting device. - Maryland Statutes

§ 10-403. Manufacture, possession, or sale of intercepting device.
 

(a)  Prohibited acts.- Except as otherwise specifically provided in this subtitle, any person who manufactures, assembles, possesses, or sells any electronic, mechanical, or other device, knowing or having reason to know that the design of the device renders it primarily useful for the purpose of the surreptitious interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications, is guilty of a felony and is subject to imprisonment for not more than five years or a fine of not more than $10,000, or both. 

(b)  Lawful acts.- It is lawful under this section for: 

(1) A provider of wire or electronic communication service or an officer, agent, or employee of, or a person under contract with, a service provider, in the normal course of the business of providing that wire or electronic communication service to manufacture, assemble, possess, or sell any electronic, mechanical, or other device knowing or having reason to know that the design of the device renders it primarily useful for the purpose of the surreptitious interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications. 

(2) A person under contract with the United States, a state, a political subdivision of a state, or the District of Columbia, in the normal course of the activities of the United States, a state, a political subdivision thereof, or the District of Columbia, to manufacture, assemble, possess, or sell any electronic, mechanical, or other device knowing or having reason to know that the design of the device renders it primarily useful for the purpose of the surreptitious interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications. 

(3) An officer, agent, or employee of the United States in the normal course of his lawful activities to manufacture, assemble, possess or sell any electronic, mechanical, or other device knowing or having reason to know that the design of the device renders it primarily useful for the purpose of the surreptitious interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications. However, any sale made under the authority of this paragraph may only be for the purpose of disposing of obsolete or surplus devices. 

(4) An officer, agent, or employee of a law enforcement agency of this State or a political subdivision of this State in the normal course of his lawful activities to manufacture, assemble, possess or sell any electronic, mechanical, or other device knowing or having reason to know that the design of the device renders it primarily useful for the purpose of the surreptitious interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications, provided, however, that the particular officer, agent, or employee is specifically authorized by the chief administrator of the employer law enforcement agency to manufacture, assemble or possess the device for a particular law enforcement purpose and the device is registered in accordance with § 10-411 of this subtitle. However, any sale made under the authority of this paragraph may only be for the purpose of disposing of obsolete or surplus devices. 
 

[1977, ch. 692, §§ 2, 3; 1988, ch. 607.]