720 ILCS 5/16-17 – Theft of Advertising Services
This law makes it illegal to place ads in newspapers or magazines without permission and then hand them out to the public.
This Illinois law says it’s against the law to attach or insert an advertisement into a newspaper or magazine without the publisher’s permission and then give it out to others. Doing this can lead to a Class A misdemeanor charge.
(a) A person breaks this law if they knowingly add or insert an ad that isn’t approved into a newspaper or magazine and then give it out or plan to give it out to the public.
(b) This rule applies to any newspaper or magazine that is either sold or given away for free.
(c) This rule doesn’t apply when the publisher or the official distributor says it’s okay to add or insert the ad.
(d) “Unauthorized advertisement” means any flyer, note, notice, or other message that includes writing or pictures and has been inserted into a newspaper or magazine without an agreement between the advertiser and the publisher.
(e) Sentence: Breaking this law is a Class A misdemeanor, which is a serious but lower-level criminal charge.
Contact us online or call (314) 900-HELP to talk with a Southern Illinois criminal defense lawyer.
