It is a felony for any person to commit any of the following acts:

1. A. to alter with fraudulent intent any certificate of title, registration evidence, registration plate, validating sticker or permit issued by the division;
2. B. to forge or counterfeit any such document or plate purporting to have been issued by the division;
3. C. to alter or falsify with fraudulent intent or to forge any assignment upon a certificate of title; or
4. D. to hold or use any such document or plate, knowing the same to have been so altered, forged or falsified.

History: 1953 Comp., § 64-8-3, enacted by Laws 1978, ch. 35, § 501.

ANNOTATIONS

Cross references. — For the penalty for violation of any provision of the Motor Vehicle Code, see 66-8-7 NMSA 1978.

Jury instructions. — There is a "knowing" requirement in subsection (D) of this section. The essential elements of the crime defined are that the accused knew that the registration plate held or used by him had been altered, forged or falsified with fraudulent intent. A jury instruction should require the jury to find that defendant knew the registration plate had been "so" altered or altered with fraudulent intent. Ortiz v. State, 1988-NMSC-008, 106 N.M. 695, 749 P.2d 80.

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 60 C.J.S. Motor Vehicles § 101; 61A C.J.S. Motor Vehicles § 588.