Mich. Comp. Laws » Michigan Compiled Laws / Chapter 750 / Act 328 of 1931
Michigan Compiled Laws

Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.282 (2026)

Offenses against water, steam, electric, or gas companies, or propane gas dealers or distributors, and boards or municipalities owning or operating plants; misdemeanor; felony; civil action not impaired by criminal prosecution; presumption; prima facie evidence of violation.

✓ current as of July 2026
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THE MICHIGAN PENAL CODE


Act 328 of 1931


750.282 Offenses against water, steam, electric, or gas companies, or propane gas dealers or distributors, and boards or municipalities owning or operating plants; misdemeanor; felony; civil action not impaired by criminal prosecution; presumption; prima facie evidence of violation.

Sec. 282.

    (1) A person shall not do any of the following:

    (a) Willfully or fraudulently injure, or fraudulently allow to be injured, a meter, wire, line, pipe, or appliance belonging to a water, steam, electric, or gas company, or propane gas dealer or distributor.

    (b) Willfully or fraudulently prevent a water, steam, electric, gas, or propane gas meter belonging to a water, steam, electric, or gas company, or propane gas dealer or distributor from duly registering the quantity of water, steam, electric current, gas, or propane gas measured through the meter, or in any way hinder or interfere with the meter's proper action or just registration.

    (c) Attach a line, wire, or pipe to a line, wire, pipe, or main belonging to a water, steam, electric, or gas company, or propane gas dealer or distributor. This subdivision does not apply to the use of a ground wire to ground an electrical system.

    (d) Willfully or fraudulently interfere with a pressure regulator device on a propane gas tank or incorporated into a propane gas system.

    (e) Use or burn or cause to be used or burned any water, steam, electric current, gas, or propane gas supplied by a water, steam, electric, or gas company, or propane gas dealer or distributor, without the written consent of the company or the propane gas dealer or distributor, or the authorized agent or officer of the company or the propane gas dealer or distributor, unless the water, steam, electric current, gas, or propane gas passes through a meter or is measured by a meter set by the company or the propane gas dealer or distributor; fraudulently use the water, steam, electric current, gas, or propane gas, or fraudulently waste the water, steam, electric current, gas, or propane gas supplied by a water, steam, electric, or gas company, or propane gas dealer or distributor.

    (2) A person who violates subsection (1) is guilty of a misdemeanor if the value of the water, steam, electric current, gas, or propane gas used, burned, or wasted, or the damage caused, as a result of the violation, is not more than $500.00. A person who violates subsection (1) is guilty of a felony if the value of the water, steam, electric current, gas, or propane gas used, burned, or wasted, or the damage caused, as a result of the violation, is more than $500.00.

    (3) A criminal prosecution under this section shall not in any way impair the right of the company or the propane gas dealer or distributor to full compensation in damages by civil action.

    (4) The provisions of this section shall extend and apply to all offenses against all water, steam, electric, or gas companies, or propane gas dealers or distributors, and boards or municipalities owning or operating plants for producing, manufacturing, furnishing, transmitting, or conducting water, steam, electricity, or gas, either natural, liquefied, or artificial.

    (5) A person who attaches any line, wire, or pipe or any other device or process to any line, wire, or pipe of a water, steam, electric, or gas company, or propane gas dealer or distributor which interferes with the proper operation and just registration of a meter within the meaning of this section, or who interferes with a pressure regulator device on a propane gas tank or incorporated into a propane gas system, is presumed to do so with intent to avoid, or to enable another to avoid, payment for the service involved.

    (6) In all prosecutions under this section, proof that the defendant, other than a lessor, had control of or occupied the premises where the offense was committed, or received the benefit of the water, steam, electric current, gas, or propane gas used or consumed, shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this section.

History: 1931, Act 328, Eff. Sept. 18, 1931 ;-- CL 1948, 750.282 ;-- Am. 1984, Act 37, Eff. Apr. 12, 1984 ;-- Am. 1987, Act 32, Eff. Mar. 30, 1988

FormerLaw Notes:

    See section 2 of Act 277 of 1911, being CL 1915, § 15362; and CL 1929, § 17043.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 8 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1988–2023 · leading case: People v. Schultz, 460 N.W.2d 505 (Mich. 1990).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
People v. Schultz, 460 N.W.2d 505 (Mich. 1990). · cites it 2× “MCL 750.282; MSA 28.493. The Court of Appeals relied on MCL 8.”
Mich. Gun Owners, Inc. v. Ann Arbor Pub. Sch., 918 N.W.2d 756 (Mich. 2018). “197 ; MCL 750.200 ; MCL 750.224 ; MCL 750.224b ; MCL 750.”
People v. Gravedoni, 431 N.W.2d 221 (Mich. Ct. App. 1988). · cites it 3× “Defendant was convicted by a jury of one count of fraudulent use of electric service, MCL 750.282; MSA 28.493. He was sentenced to three years probation, six months to be served in the county jail (thirty days to be served immediately, the remaining time to be served following…”
People v. Nguyen, 854 N.W.2d 223 (Mich. Ct. App. 2014). “7403(2)(a)(u), fraudulent use of a public utility over $500, MCL 750.282(1) and (2), possession of dihydrocodeine, MCL 333.”
People v. Mechigian, 425 N.W.2d 199 (Mich. Ct. App. 1988). “354(1), and two counts of energy fraud, MCL 750.282; MSA 28.493. This appeal concerns two pretrial motions brought by defendant before a Wayne Circuit judge: (1) whether defendant should be allowed to introduce evidence at trial that the prosecution’s primary witness, William…”
People of Michigan v. Tonya Mellisa Houston (Mich. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 10× “MCL 750.282 states, in relevant part: (1) A person shall not do any of the following: (a) Willfully or fraudulently injure, or fraudulently allow to be injured, a meter, wire, line, pipe, or appliance belonging to a water, steam, electric, or gas company, or propane gas dealer…”
People of Michigan v. Tonya Mellisa Houston (Mich. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 10× “MCL 750.282 states, in relevant part: (1) A person shall not do any of the following: (a) Willfully or fraudulently injure, or fraudulently allow to be injured, a meter, wire, line, pipe, or appliance belonging to a water, steam, electric, or gas company, or propane gas dealer…”
C People of Michigan v. Brnden Lamir Patterson (Mich. Ct. App. 2023). · cites it 4× “Under the amended statute, the prosecutor was required to prove that the amount of service that was obtained by fraudulent means was in excess of $500 to convict of a felony. Thus, the statutory amendment elevated the monetary amount of electric service used to constitute a…”
Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.282(1): 1 case
People v. Nguyen, 854 N.W.2d 223 (Mich. Ct. App. 2014). “7403(2)(a)(u), fraudulent use of a public utility over $500, MCL 750.282(1) and (2), possession of dihydrocodeine, MCL 333.”
Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.282(1)(a): 2 cases
People of Michigan v. Tonya Mellisa Houston (Mich. Ct. App. 2018). “MCL 750.282 states, in relevant part: (1) A person shall not do any of the following: (a) Willfully or fraudulently injure, or fraudulently allow to be injured, a meter, wire, line, pipe, or appliance belonging to a water, steam, electric, or gas company, or propane gas dealer…”
People of Michigan v. Tonya Mellisa Houston (Mich. Ct. App. 2018). “MCL 750.282 states, in relevant part: (1) A person shall not do any of the following: (a) Willfully or fraudulently injure, or fraudulently allow to be injured, a meter, wire, line, pipe, or appliance belonging to a water, steam, electric, or gas company, or propane gas dealer…”
Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.282(1)(c): 1 case
Mich. Gun Owners, Inc. v. Ann Arbor Pub. Sch., 918 N.W.2d 756 (Mich. 2018). “197 ; MCL 750.200 ; MCL 750.224 ; MCL 750.224b ; MCL 750.”
Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.282(6): 2 cases
People of Michigan v. Tonya Mellisa Houston (Mich. Ct. App. 2018). “MCL 750.282 states, in relevant part: (1) A person shall not do any of the following: (a) Willfully or fraudulently injure, or fraudulently allow to be injured, a meter, wire, line, pipe, or appliance belonging to a water, steam, electric, or gas company, or propane gas dealer…”
People of Michigan v. Tonya Mellisa Houston (Mich. Ct. App. 2018). “MCL 750.282 states, in relevant part: (1) A person shall not do any of the following: (a) Willfully or fraudulently injure, or fraudulently allow to be injured, a meter, wire, line, pipe, or appliance belonging to a water, steam, electric, or gas company, or propane gas dealer…”
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