525.04. Compounding a crime.

   (a)   No person shall knowingly demand, accept or agree to accept anything of value in consideration of abandoning or agreeing to abandon a pending criminal prosecution.

   (b)   It is an affirmative defense to a charge under this section when both of the following apply:

      (1)   The pending prosecution involved is for violation of Sections 545.05, 545.09 or 545.10(b)(2), or Ohio R.C. 2913.02, 2913.11 or 2913.21(B)(2), of which the actor under this section was the victim.

      (2)   The thing of value demanded, accepted or agreed to be accepted, in consideration of abandoning or agreeing to abandon the prosecution, did not exceed an amount which the actor reasonably believed due him as restitution for the loss caused him by the offense.

   (c)   When a prosecuting witness abandons or agrees to abandon a prosecution under subsection (b) hereof, such abandonment or agreement in no way binds the State or Municipality to abandoning the prosecution.

   (d)   Whoever violates this section is guilty of compounding a crime, a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(ORC 2921.21)