Any individual who is considered an adult (age 17 or older) and who solicits another individual who is under 17 years old to attempt to commit or commit a criminal offense which would leave an adult facing felony charges is guilty of recruiting, inducing, soliciting, or coercing a minor to commit a felony. Felony offenses in Michigan include murder, carjacking, arson, robbery, larceny of property valued at $20,000 or more, certain drug offenses, kidnapping, and more.
A conviction for coercing, recruiting or otherwise engaging the participation of a minor to commit or attempt to commit a felony may leave you facing substantial penalties which vary depending on the crime carried out or attempted crime, and may include prison time, fines, and more.
Penalties for those convicted of recruiting, inducing, or soliciting a minor younger than 17 years old to commit or attempt to commit a felony act will be determined according to the criminal offense attempted or committed. Punishment is not to exceed the maximum punishment allowed under Michigan law for that specific offense.
For example, an individual who recruits a minor person to commit murder may face life in prison, as this is the maximum punishment for murder. Convictions for certain criminal acts will result in penalties which include both prison/jail time and fines, along with other punishment which may include community service, probation, etc. When fines are one aspect of punishment, fines for recruiting a minor to commit or attempt to commit a felony crime will not be more than 3 times the amount of the fine allowed by the law for that particular offense.
Other than potential prison time and substantial fines, those convicted of coercing, inducing, soliciting, or recruiting a minor younger than 17 may face additional consequences, depending on the crime in question. For example, many sex-related crimes require that the convicted individual register as a sex offender. Other felony offenses may result in driver’s license suspension or revocation, probation, community service, court-ordered counseling or rehab, etc. Any individual convicted of a felony offense will also have a permanent criminal record that will affect employment opportunities and other aspects of your life.
Other crimes, which are related or similar to Recruiting, Inducing, Soliciting, or Coercing Minor to Commit Felony, include:
Conspiracy to Commit Offense or Legal Act in Illegal Manner; Penalty
Solicitation to Commit Murder or Felony; Penalty; Affirmative Defense
Grabel & Associates has proven success and extensive experience in defending clients accused of all types of conspiracy and solicitation charges, including Soliciting a Minor to Commit a Felony. Our firm has obtained successful results for clients accused of Inducing a Minor to Commit a Felony, and in many cases has secured acquittals, dismissals, and had convictions overturned on appeal.
Defenses:
There is a wide variety of effective defense strategies which work to prove a client's innocence depending on the facts of a particular case. Individuals who have already been convicted may want to appeal a sentence or conviction, or seek post-conviction relief.
750.157c Recruiting, inducing, soliciting, or coercing minor to commit felony.
Sec. 157c.
A person 17 years of age or older who recruits, induces, solicits, or coerces a minor less than 17 years of age to commit or attempt to commit an act that would be a felony if committed by an adult is guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than the maximum term of imprisonment authorized by law for that act. The person may also be punished by a fine of not more than 3 times the amount of the fine authorized by law for that act.
History: Add. 1988, Act 27, Eff. June 1, 1988