Under what circumstances is a person guilty of criminal impersonation?

A person is guilty of criminal impersonation when they engage in the act of using someone else's identity for personal gain or when they assume a false identity to commit a crime. Both actions reflect a deceptive intention to mislead others or to gain an unlawful benefit.

Using someone else's identity for personal gain means that the individual is looking to benefit in some way, such as financial fraud, accessing restricted services, or other illegal advantages. This demonstrates the intent to exploit another person's identity, which is a critical component of criminal impersonation.

On the other hand, assuming a false identity to commit a crime underscores the aspect of deceit involved in criminal impersonation. This may include pretending to be someone else in order to perpetrate fraud, avoid arrest, or carry out any unlawful act, thus directly linking the impersonation to criminal activity.

Both scenarios underline the same core principle of misrepresentation and deception for wrongful purposes, confirming that either situation constitutes criminal impersonation.