Statutes: Northern Mariana Islands

(a) A person commits the offense of criminal coercion if he or she intentionally compels or induces another person to engage in conduct from which the victim has a legal right to abstain, or to abstain from conduct in which the victim has a legal right to engage, by means of instilling in the victim a fear that, if the demand is not complied with, the defendant or a third person will:

(1) Commit any offense; or

(2) Accuse anyone of an offense; or

(3) Expose any secret or publicize any asserted fact, whether true or false, tending to subject any person to hatred, contempt or ridicule or to impair his or her credit or business repute; or

(4) Reveal any information sought to be concealed by the person; or

(5) Testify or provide information or withhold testimony or information with respect to any person’s legal claim or defense; or

(6) Take or withhold official action as a public servant or cause a public servant to take or withhold such action.

(b) It is a defense to a prosecution under subsections (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(4), (a)(5) and (a)(6) of this section, that the defendant believed the threatened accusation or exposure to be true or the proposed action of a public servant justified, and that the defendant’s sole intention was to compel or induce the victim to take reasonable action to desist from, prevent, or remedy the wrong which was the subject of the threatened accusation, exposure, or action of a public servant.

(c) A person convicted under this section may be punished:

(1) If a dangerous weapon is used to instill fear, by imprisonment for not more than five years;

(2) Otherwise, by imprisonment for not more than two years.