Florida Statute 817.482 - Full Text and Legal Analysis

817.482 Possessing or transferring device for theft of telecommunications service; concealment of destination of telecommunications service.—

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to:

(a) Make or possess any instrument, apparatus, equipment or device designed or adapted for use for the purpose of avoiding or attempting to avoid payment of telecommunications service in violation of s. 817.481; or

(b) Sell, give, transport, or otherwise transfer to another, or offer or advertise to sell, give, or otherwise transfer, any instrument, apparatus, equipment, or device described in paragraph (a), or plans or instructions for making or assembling the same; under circumstances evincing an intent to use or employ such instrument, apparatus, equipment, or device, or to allow the same to be used or employed, for a purpose described in paragraph (a), or knowing or having reason to believe that the same is intended to be so used, or that the aforesaid plans or instructions are intended to be used for making or assembling such instrument, apparatus, equipment, or device.

Any person violating the provisions of paragraphs (a) and (b) is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(2) Any person who shall make or possess, for purposes of avoiding or attempting to avoid payment for long-distance telecommunication services, any electronic device capable of duplicating tones or sounds utilized in long-distance telecommunications shall be guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(3) Any such instrument, apparatus, equipment, or device, or plans or instructions therefor, referred to in subsections (1) and (2), may be seized by court order or under a search warrant of a judge or incident to a lawful arrest; and upon the conviction of any person for a violation of any provision of this act, or s. 817.481, such instrument, apparatus, equipment, device, plans, or instructions either shall be destroyed as contraband by the sheriff of the county in which such person was convicted or turned over to the telephone company in whose territory such instrument, apparatus, equipment, device, plans, or instructions were seized.

History.—s. 2, ch. 65-245; s. 874, ch. 71-136; s. 1, ch. 74-137; s. 14, ch. 2004-11.

Arrestable Offenses under F.S. 817.482
M = misdemeanor · F = felony · degree: F=1st S=2nd T=3rd
§817.482(1)FRAUD BY WIREPOSS ETC DEVICE FOR THEFT OF TELECOM SERVICEM · 1st
§817.482(2)FRAUD BY WIREPOSS ETC DEVICE THEFT LONG-DIST TELECOM SVCF · 3rd
Cases Citing F.S. 817.482

Fla. Stat. § 817.482 (2026) Copy Cite Official Site Syfertize CourtListener Amendments
3 resultsSort: Relevance · Newest · Treatment
Copy
·Leeman v. State, 357 So. 2d 703 (Fla. 1978).
Cited 27 times | Published | Supreme Court of Florida
...April 4, 1978. *704 Max B. Kogen, Miami, for appellant. Robert L. Shevin, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, and Sidney M. Pertnoy, Asst. Atty. Gen., Miami, for appellee. ADKINS, Justice. This is a direct appeal from the Circuit Court of Dade County which held that Section 817.482, Florida Statutes (1975) (Ch....
...ssess, for purposes of avoiding or attempting to avoid payment for long distance telecommunication services, an electronic device capable of duplicating tones of sound utilized in long distance telecommunications, to wit: A BLUE BOX, in violation of 817.482, Florida Statutes." By motion to dismiss, which was denied by the court, defendant attacked the constitutionality of the statute, contending that same was vague and ambiguous....
0 red0 yellow12 green0 procedural
Cited as authority(citing case) (2025)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityTatara (2020)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2017)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Open case for full Syfertize analysis →
Copy
·State v. Dilworth, 397 So. 2d 292 (Fla. 1981).
Cited 14 times | Published | Supreme Court of Florida
...ssess, for purposes of avoiding or attempting to avoid payment for long distance telecommunication services, an electronic device capable of duplicating tones of sound utilized in long distance telecommunications, to wit: A BLUE BOX, in violation of 817.482, Florida Statutes....
...e telecommunication services, any electronic device capable of duplicating tones or sounds utilized in long distance telecommunications shall be guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. § 817.482(2), Fla....
0 red0 yellow8 green0 procedural
Cited as authoritySawyers (2026)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2017)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2015)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Open case for full Syfertize analysis →
Copy
Leeman v. State, 357 So. 2d 693 (Fla. 1978).
Published | Supreme Court of Florida
ADKINS, Justice. This is a direct appeal from the Circuit Court of Dade County which held that Section 817.482, Florida Statutes (1975) (Ch....
...ssess, for purposes of avoiding or attempting to avoid payment for long distance telecommunication services, an electronic device capable of duplicating tones of sound utilized in long distance telecommunications, to wit: A BLUE BOX, in violation of 817.482, Florida Statutes.” By motion to dismiss, which was denied by the court, defendant attacked the constitutionality of the statute, contending that same was vague and ambiguous....

This Florida statute resource is curated by the attorney maintaining this site, a Jacksonville, Florida criminal defense attorney (Florida Bar No. 39104). Attorney Syfert regularly handles Chapter 817 matters in the context of fraud and white collar defense and represents clients throughout Northeast Florida. For legal consultation, call 904-383-7448.

Florida/Georgia Personal Injury & Workers Compensation

Arrestable Offenses under F.S. 817.482

Cases Citing F.S. 817.482

·Leeman v. State, 357 So. 2d 703 (Fla. 1978).

·State v. Dilworth, 397 So. 2d 292 (Fla. 1981).

Leeman v. State, 357 So. 2d 693 (Fla. 1978).