§859. Certain acts declared misdemeanors

A. Each of the following acts is declared to be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not longer than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the court, provided that in the event of a third conviction under this Section, a jail sentence of not less than six months shall be mandatory:

(1) To sell or offer for sale any of the articles herein taxed without first having procured a permit as a tobacco dealer pursuant to R.S. 26:908, in those cases where necessary; provided, nevertheless, that in the case of purchases of stocks in bulk, the purchaser may operate under the permit of the seller for ten days, pending the application for and the grant of a permit to such buyer, and that in case of the dissolution of a partnership by death, the surviving partner may operate under the permit of the partnership until the time of its expiration, and the heirs, legal representatives of deceased persons, receivers, or trustees in bankruptcy appointed by any competent authority may operate under the permit of the person, firm, corporation, or association of persons so succeeded in possession by such heirs, representatives, receivers, or trustees in bankruptcy.

(2) To sell, except as a registered tobacco dealer engaged in and selling in interstate commerce, any of the articles taxed herein without the stamp herein provided for first being affixed and cancelled as herein provided.

(3) To refuse or fail to keep any records, furnish any report, or furnish any bond required in this Chapter.

(4) To violate any lawful rule or regulation made and published by the collector hereunder.

(5) To use any stamp more than once, or to have in possession tobacco tax stamps that have been used.

(6) To remove, erase, alter or deface the cancellation mark or marks on any stamp, or to have in possession any stamp on which the cancellation mark has been removed, erased, altered or defaced.

(7) To refuse to allow, on demand, the collector or any officer or agent of the said collector to make a full inspection of any place of business where any of the articles herein taxed are sold or in any other wise to hinder or prevent such inspection.

(8) To use any artful device or deceptive practice to conceal any violation of this Chapter or to mislead the said collector or any agent of said collector in the enforcement of this Chapter, or to defraud this state of its revenue.

(9) For any dealer to have in possession in any place of business any of the articles herein taxed, unless the same shall have the proper stamps attached where required.

(10) For any retail dealer or his agents or employees to fail to produce on demand of the said collector all invoices of all cigars, cigarettes and smoking tobacco bought by him or received in his place of business within six months prior to said demand unless he can show by satisfactory proof that the nonproduction of said invoices was due to providential or other causes beyond his control.

(11) For any person to make, use, present or exhibit to the collector or any agent of the said collector any invoice of cigars, cigarettes and smoking tobacco which bears an untrue date or falsely states the nature or quantity of the goods therein invoiced.

(12) To receive in this state any shipment of taxable articles when the same are not stamped for the purpose and intention of violating the provisions of this Chapter and to avoid payment of the taxes.

(13) To violate any provision of this Chapter, in cases not specifically declared to be a felony by any other section of this chapter.

B. All agents, employees and others who aid, abet or otherwise participate in any wise in the violation of this Chapter or in any of the offenses hereunder punishable shall be guilty and punishable as principals to the same extent as any wholesale dealer or retail dealer violating the Chapter might be.

Amended by Acts 1974, No. 416, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1975; Acts 2006, No. 108, §2, eff. July 1, 2006.