(a) No person, with purpose to hinder the discovery, apprehension, prosecution, conviction, or punishment of another for crime, or to assist another to benefit from the commission of a crime, and no person, with purpose to hinder the discovery, apprehension, prosecution, adjudication as a delinquent child, or disposition of a child for an act that if committed by an adult would be a crime or to assist a child to benefit from the commission of an act that if committed by an adult would be a crime, shall do any of the following:
(1) Harbor or conceal the other person or child.
(2) Provide the other person or child with money, transportation, a weapon, a disguise, or other means of avoiding discovery or apprehension.
(3) Warn the other person or child of impending discovery or apprehension.
(4) Destroy or conceal physical evidence of the crime or act, or induce any person to withhold testimony or information or to elude legal process summoning him or her to testify or supply evidence.
(5) Communicate false information to any person.
(6) Prevent or obstruct any person, by means of force, intimidation, or deception, from performing any act to aid in the discovery, apprehension, or prosecution of the other person or child.
(b) A person may be prosecuted for, and may be convicted of or adjudicated a delinquent child for committing, a violation of division (a) of this section regardless of whether the person or child aided ultimately is apprehended for, is charged with, is convicted of, pleads guilty to, or is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing the crime or act the person or child aided committed. The crime or act the person or child aided committed shall be used under division (c) of this section in determining the penalty for violation of division (a) of this section, regardless of whether the person or child aided ultimately is apprehended for, is charge with, is convicted of, pleads guilty to, or is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing the crime or act the person or child aided committed.
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of obstructing justice.
(1) If the crime committed by the person aided is a misdemeanor or if the act committed by the child aided would be a misdemeanor if committed by an adult, obstructing justice is a misdemeanor of the same degree as the crime committed by the person aided or a misdemeanor of the same degree that the act committed by the child aided would be if committed by an adult.
(2) If the crime committed by the person aided is a felony or if the act committed by the child aided would be a felony if committed by an adult, or if the crime or act committed by the person or child aided is an act of terrorism, obstructing justice is a felony to be prosecuted under appropriate State law.
(d) As used in this section:
(1) “Act of terrorism” has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 2909.21.
(2) “Adult” and “child” have the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 2151.011.
(3) “Delinquent child” has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 2152.02.
(ORC 2921.32; Ord. 176-98. Passed 6-15-98; Ord. 53-03. Passed 3-3-03.)