565.090. Harassment.

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

Harassment.

565.090. 1. A person commits the crime of harassment if he or she:

(1) Knowingly communicates a threat to commit any felony to anotherperson and in so doing frightens, intimidates, or causes emotional distressto such other person; or

(2) When communicating with another person, knowingly uses coarselanguage offensive to one of average sensibility and thereby puts suchperson in reasonable apprehension of offensive physical contact or harm; or

(3) Knowingly frightens, intimidates, or causes emotional distress toanother person by anonymously making a telephone call or any electroniccommunication; or

(4) Knowingly communicates with another person who is, or whopurports to be, seventeen years of age or younger and in so doing andwithout good cause recklessly frightens, intimidates, or causes emotionaldistress to such other person; or

(5) Knowingly makes repeated unwanted communication to anotherperson; or

(6) Without good cause engages in any other act with the purpose tofrighten, intimidate, or cause emotional distress to another person, causesuch person to be frightened, intimidated, or emotionally distressed, andsuch person's response to the act is one of a person of averagesensibilities considering the age of such person.

2. Harassment is a class A misdemeanor unless:

(1) Committed by a person twenty-one years of age or older against aperson seventeen years of age or younger; or

(2) The person has previously pleaded guilty to or been found guiltyof a violation of this section, or of any offense committed in violation ofany county or municipal ordinance in any state, any state law, any federallaw, or any military law which, if committed in this state, would bechargeable or indictable as a violation of any offense listed in thissubsection.

In such cases, harassment shall be a class D felony.

3. This section shall not apply to activities of federal, state,county, or municipal law enforcement officers conducting investigations ofviolation of federal, state, county, or municipal law.