Kidnapping is a serious crime that can lead to severe penalties---including death in Georgia. The term means taking someone against their will. The kidnapping laws also apply to non-custodial parents who take their children away from the custodial parent. Other kidnapping cases include kidnapping for ransom, where the offenders demand money in exchange for the return of the person. Kidnapping penalties vary. In Georgia, if bodily injury or death is involved in the crime, the offender could face the death penalty. In other charges, the maximum penalty is 10 to 20 years, but the offender must serve at least 10 years in prison. Kidnapping is a Class IA felony in Nebraska punishable by life in prison. In New York the sentence for kidnapping increased to a maximum 50 years in prison in 2008. When the kidnapping crosses state lines, it becomes a federal case. The kidnapping penalty for a federal case is life in prison.