SECTION 32. Punishment

(a) Whoever falsely makes, alters, forges, or counterfeits a certificate of title or salvage title; or alters or forges an assignment of a certificate of title or salvage title, or supporting documents, or an assignment or release of a security interest on a certificate of title or a form the registrar prescribes; or has possession of or uses a certificate of title or salvage title, knowing it to have been altered, forged, or counterfeited; or uses a false or fictitious name or address, or makes a material false statement or fails to disclose a security interest, or conceals any other material fact, in an application for a certificate of title or salvage title; or supporting documents, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than five years, or in a jail or house of correction for not more than two years, or both.

(b) Whoever permits another not entitled thereto, to use or have possession of a certificate of title or salvage title or fails to mail or deliver a certificate of title, salvage title or application therefor to the registrar within ten days after the time required by this chapter, or whoever fails to deliver to the transferee or the registrar a certificate of title or salvage title within ten days after the time required by this chapter, or violates any other provision of the chapter, except as provided for in paragraph (a), shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for not more than six months, or both.

(c) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), a lienholder who is found to be in violation of section 24 in accordance with the procedures set forth in section 24A shall be punished by a fine of not less than $500 for a first offense. For each successive violation, the fine shall not be less than $1,000 nor more than $2,000; but, if the lienholder has been cited and punished by the registrar for noncompliance 5 or more times in the preceding 12 month period, the penalty shall not be less than $5,000 for each subsequent offense.