Any person who shall advertise, represent, or hold out for sale a stock of goods, wares, and merchandise under the description of "closing-out sale"; "going-out-of-business sale"; "discontinuance-of-business sale"; "selling out"; "liquidation"; "lost our lease"; "must vacate"; "forced out"; "removal"; or other designation of like meaning; or a sale of goods, wares, and merchandise damaged by fire, smoke, water, or otherwise, without first having complied with the provisions of this chapter, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction, be fined in a sum not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500), or shall be imprisoned for not less than ten (10) days nor more than six (6) months, or both, within the discretion of the court.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-14-12