A person who takes, retains, or entices another person under 14 years old without legal right commits what crime?

Prepare for the Maine Criminal Justice Academy Test. Access multiple-choice questions and detailed explanations. Enhance your understanding and pass with confidence!

The correct answer is criminal restraint. When a person takes, retains, or entices another person under 14 years old without legal right, it signifies an unlawful control or restriction of that minor's freedom. Criminal restraint specifically addresses the unlawful deprivation of a person's liberty, which is particularly serious when the individual is a child. In this context, the act of taking or retaining a child under the legal age of consent is a violation of their legal rights and constitutes a crime.

Comparatively, kidnapping involves the unlawful taking away or transportation of a person with the intent to hold them for ransom, commit a crime, or obtain a benefit. While the action described can potentially lead to a kidnapping charge, it is more accurately described as criminal restraint in this scenario. Stalking pertains to the repeated harassment or following of an individual, which does not apply here. Theft is defined as the unlawful taking of someone else’s property, and is not relevant in the context of taking a person. Therefore, criminal restraint is the most appropriate term for this action concerning individuals under the age of 14.

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