2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 16 - Crimes and Offenses › Chapter 11 - Offenses Against Property › Section 16-11-740. Wilful and malicious injury to telegraph, telephone, or electric utility system.

(A) For purposes of this section only, "electric utility system" means all plants, facilities, assets, and equipment owned, leased, or operated for the generation, transmission, distribution, or storage of electricity, regardless of generation source, and all natural gas facilities, including natural gas pipeline infrastructure.
(B)(1) It is unlawful for a person, without the consent of the owner, to wilfully and maliciously:
(a) destroy, damage, or in any way injure a telegraph, telephone, electric utility system, satellite dish, or cable television system, including poles, cables, wires, fixtures, antennas, amplifiers, or other apparatus, equipment, or appliances;
(b) obstruct, impede, or impair their services or transmissions; or
(c) aid, employ, or conspire with a person to do or cause to be done any of the acts mentioned in this subsection.
(2) A person who violates the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction:
(a) if the amount of the damage or loss is less than ten thousand dollars, must be fined in the discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both;
(b) if the amount of the damage or loss is ten thousand dollars or more but less than twenty-five thousand dollars, must be fined in the discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than fifteen years, or both;
(c) if the amount of the damage or loss is twenty-five thousand dollars or more, must be fined in the discretion of the court or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
(3) A person who violates the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a felony if the destruction or damage results in the death or bodily injury of a person, or an imminent danger to the life, health, or safety of a person, and, upon conviction, must be fined in the discretion of the court or imprisoned for not more than twenty-five years, or both.
(4) Evidence of the amount of damages or loss shall be calculated to include the cost of the repair or replacement of equipment, buildings, or structures damaged, the estimated lost revenue caused by the destructive acts, and any related damages than can reasonably be associated with the interruption of service to affected, dedicated utility customers.
(C)(1) It is unlawful for a person, without consent of the owner, to wilfully and maliciously by means of or use of a firearm or destructive device as defined by Section 16-23-710, to:
(a) destroy, damage, or in any way injure:
(i) an electric utility system; or
(ii) a gasoline, natural gas, or propane utility system, including poles, cables, wires, pipelines, storage containers, fixtures, or other apparatus, equipment, or appliances; or
(iii) a telegraph, telephone, satellite dish, or cable television system, including poles, cables, wires, fixtures, antennas, amplifiers, or other apparatus, equipment, or appliances;
(b) obstruct, impede, or impair their services or transmissions; or
(c) aid, employ, or conspire with a person to do or cause to be done any of the acts mentioned in subitems (a) and (b).
(2) A person who violates the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned for not more than twenty-five years and may be fined in the discretion of the court.
(D) Any person whose property or person is injured by reason of a violation of this section shall have a right of action on account of such injury done against the person who committed the violation and any person who acts as an accessory before or after the fact, aids or abets, solicits, conspires, or lends material support to the violation of this section. If damages are assessed in such case the plaintiff shall be entitled to recover damages fixed by the verdict, together with costs, including attorneys' fees and, in the discretion of the court, punitive damages. The rights and remedies provided by this subsection are in addition to any other rights and remedies provided by law. For purposes of this subsection, "damages" includes actual and consequential damages.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 16-399; 1969 (56) 651; 1989 Act No. 21, Section 1; 1993 Act No. 184, Section 29; 2023 Act No. 76 (S.330), Section 1, eff June 19, 2023.
Effect of Amendment
2023 Act No. 76, Section 1, rewrote the section.