Lying on an official police report can result in serious penalties. If you give a false statement to an officer (and you knew full well that it was false at the time you made the statement), you have filed a false report. Lying on an official police report can result in either a misdemeanor or a felony charge – it all depends on the severity of the crime that you are lying about. At a general level, if you provide false information about a misdemeanor, you will likely be charged with a misdemeanor for providing a false report. However, if you lie about a more serious felony charge (such as murder), you may be facing felony charges yourself.
Penalties for Filing a False Report
The laws and penalties for lying on an official police report vary state-to-state. In Wisconsin the maximum penalty for obstructing an officer is 9 months in jail and/or $10,000 in fines. These are the harshest possible penalties for providing a false report, and it is very rare that a person receives the maximum penalty for this crime. Even so, obstructing an officer of the law should be taken very seriously. The penalties you face will also very much depend on the facts surrounding your particular case. If you are worried that you may be charged with obstructing an officer, reach out to a Wisconsin defense lawyer to discuss your options.
