642.17 PRIMA-FACIE EVIDENCE OF PURPOSE TO DEFRAUD.
   In a prosecution of a person for a theft offense that alleges that the person, with purpose to defraud or knowing that he was facilitating a fraud, hired an aircraft, motor vehicle, motorcycle, moped, all-terrain vehicle, automobile, motorboat, sailboat, camper, trailer, horse, buggy, bicycle, canoe or kayak, or kept or operated any of the same which had been hired or engaged accommodations at a hotel, motel, inn, campground or other hostelry, it is prima-facie evidence of purpose to defraud if the offender did any of the following:
      (1)    Used deception to induce the rental agency to furnish the offender with any of the property listed above or used deception to induce the hostelry to furnish him with accommodations;
      (2)    Hired any of the property listed above or engaged accommodations, knowing he is without sufficient means to pay the hire or rental;
      (3)    Absconded without paying the hire or rental;
      (4)    Knowingly failed to pay the hire or rental as required by the contract of hire or rental, without reasonable excuse for such failure;
      (5)    Knowingly failed to return hired property as required by the contract of hire or rental, without reasonable excuse for such failure.
   (c)    Whoever violates this section is guilty of defrauding a livery or hostelry, a misdemeanor of the first degree. Punishment shall be as provided in Section 698.02.
(ORC 2913.41) (Ord. 35-85. Passed 8-12-85.)