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Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 7512 (2026)

 Criminal use of communication facility.

✓ current as of May 2026
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§ 7512.  Criminal use of communication facility.

(a)  Offense defined.--A person commits a felony of the third degree if that person uses a communication facility to commit, cause or facilitate the commission or the attempt thereof of any crime which constitutes a felony under this title or under the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.233, No.64), known as The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act. Every instance where the communication facility is utilized constitutes a separate offense under this section.

(b)  Penalty.--A person who violates this section shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $15,000 or to imprisonment for not more than seven years, or both.

(c)  Definition.--As used in this section, the term "communication facility" means a public or private instrumentality used or useful in the transmission of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part, including, but not limited to, telephone, wire, radio, electromagnetic, photoelectronic or photo-optical systems or the mail.

(Dec. 21, 1998, P.L.1240, No.157, eff. 60 days)

 

1998 Amendment.  Act 157 added section 7512.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 278 cases (77 in the last 5 years), 2003–2026 · leading case: Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Shower, W., 147 A.3d 517 (Pa. 2016).
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Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Shower, W., 147 A.3d 517 (Pa. 2016). · cites it 2× “§ 3126(a)(8); and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility, 18 Pa.C.S. § 7512. Hainesworth, 82 A.3d at 445 .”
Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Hopkins, K., 117 A.3d 247 (Pa. 2015). · cites it 2× “§ 780-113(a)(30); three counts of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility, 18 Pa.C.S. § 7512(a); three counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, 35 P.”
Com. v. James, J, 297 A.3d 755 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2023). · cites it 2× “§ 903); and criminal use of communication facility (18 Pa.C.S. § 7512(a)). On August 18, 2020, Appellant filed an “Omnibus Pretrial Motion,” which included a habeas corpus motion challenging the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the charges, a motion to disclose the…”
Commonwealth v. Holmes, 79 A.3d 562 (Pa. 2013). “Unitary review describes the defendant's ability to pursue both preserved direct review claims and collateral claims of trial counsel ineffectiveness on post-sentence motions and direct appeal, and could aptly describe both exceptions we recognize today.”
Commonwealth v. Shaffer, J., Aplt., 209 A.3d 957 (Pa. 2019). · cites it 2× “[J-107-2018] - 4 computer), 18 Pa.C.S. § 7512(a), for utilizing the internet to commit, cause or facilitate the commission of the felony of sexual abuse of children.”
Com. v. Pisarchuk, I., 306 A.3d 872 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2023). · cites it 2× “3 18 Pa.C.S. § 7512(a). 4 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 9799.”
Commonwealth v. Colon-Plaza, 136 A.3d 521 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). “18 Pa.C.S. § 7512. 4 . The internet-based, peer-to-peer program in this case, Ares, is available online as a free, downloadable program enabling a user to place files in and retrieve and download files from a shared folder accessible to other Ares users.”
Commonwealth v. Diodoro, 970 A.2d 1100 (Pa. 2009). · cites it 2× “§ 6312(d) 1 and one count of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility in violation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 7512(a). 2 *8 At a jury trial occurring on February 24 and 25, 2005, held before the Honorable Joseph P.”
Commonwealth v. Hansley, 47 A.3d 1180 (Pa. 2012). · cites it 2× “18 Pa.C.S. § 7512. . Section 6317, entitled "Drug-free school zones,” states in pertinent part: (a) General rule.”
Commonwealth v. Rivera, 154 A.3d 370 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017). “§§ 780-113(a)(30), (16), and (32), and 18 Pa.C.S. § 7512, respectively. . See id.”
Commonwealth v. Baker, 24 A.3d 1006 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2011). “S § 6312(d)(1), 2 and one count of criminal use of a communication facility, pursuant to 18 Pa.C.S. § 7512. 3 Following Baker’s convictions, a hearing before Judge Ebert was held on April 20, 2009, at the conclusion of which Baker was *1014 determined to be a sexually violent…”
Com. v. Dinell, Z., 270 A.3d 530 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2022). · cites it 2× “J-S38010-21 criminal use of a communication facility (18 Pa.C.S. § 7512(a)). Herein, Appellant argues that the court erred by not granting his post-sentence motion to withdraw his guilty pleas for the 14 counts of invasion of privacy and the single count of criminal use of a…”
Show all 278 citing cases →
— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 7512(A) — 3 cases
Commonwealth v. Cuevas, 61 A.3d 292 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2013).
Com. v. Fulk, E. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).
Com. v. Wedderburn, P. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2014).
— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 7512(a) — 205 cases
Commonwealth, Aplt. v. Hopkins, K., 117 A.3d 247 (Pa. 2015). “§ 780-113(a)(30); three counts of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility, 18 Pa.C.S. § 7512(a); three counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, 35 P.”
Com. v. James, J, 297 A.3d 755 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2023). “§ 903); and criminal use of communication facility (18 Pa.C.S. § 7512(a)). On August 18, 2020, Appellant filed an “Omnibus Pretrial Motion,” which included a habeas corpus motion challenging the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the charges, a motion to disclose the…”
Commonwealth v. Holmes, 79 A.3d 562 (Pa. 2013). “Unitary review describes the defendant's ability to pursue both preserved direct review claims and collateral claims of trial counsel ineffectiveness on post-sentence motions and direct appeal, and could aptly describe both exceptions we recognize today.”
Commonwealth v. Shaffer, J., Aplt., 209 A.3d 957 (Pa. 2019). “[J-107-2018] - 4 computer), 18 Pa.C.S. § 7512(a), for utilizing the internet to commit, cause or facilitate the commission of the felony of sexual abuse of children.”
Com. v. Pisarchuk, I., 306 A.3d 872 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2023). “3 18 Pa.C.S. § 7512(a). 4 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 9799.”
— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 7512(a)(18) — 1 case
Com. v. Harris, R. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2022).
— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 7512(b) — 4 cases
Commonwealth v. All that Certain Lot or Parcel of Land Located At 2136 Clearview Avenue, 841 A.2d 629 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2004).
Com. v. Cook, C. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2022).
Com. v. Griffin, A., Jr. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2023).
T. Love v. Pa Bpp (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2015).
— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 7512(c) — 10 cases
Com. v. Peoples. R., Jr. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016).
Com. v. Williams, D. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).
Com. v. Hess, G. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017).
Com. v. Morroni, J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018).
Com. v. Oliver, J. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2020).
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