Missouri Revised Statutes Title XXXVIII. Crimes and Punishment; Peace Officers and Public Defenders § 570.125. Fraudulently stopping payment on an instrument--penalties

1. A person commits the offense of fraudulently stopping payment of an instrument if he or she, with the purpose to defraud, stops payment on a check, draft, or debit device used in payment for the receipt of goods or services.

2. The offense of fraudulently stopping payment of an instrument is a class A misdemeanor, unless the face amount of the check or draft is seven hundred fifty dollars or more or, if the stopping of payment of more than one check or draft is involved in the same course of conduct, the aggregate amount is seven hundred fifty dollars or more, in which case the offense is a class E felony.

3. It shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this section if a person stops payment on a check, draft, or debit device and fails to make good the check, draft, or debit device transaction, or fails to return or make and comply with reasonable arrangements to return the property for which the check, draft, or debit device was used in the same or substantially the same condition as when received within ten days after notice in writing from the payee that the check, draft, or debit device transaction has not been paid because of a stop payment order by the issuer to the drawee.

4. “Notice in writing” means notice deposited as certified or registered mail in the United States mail and addressed to the issuer at his address as it appears on the dishonored check, draft, or debit device transaction or to his last known address. The notice shall contain a statement that failure to make good the check, draft, or debit device transaction within ten days of receipt of the notice may subject the issuer to criminal prosecution.