(a) Any person selling regulated metal property to a secondary metals recycler in violation of any provision of this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor unless the transaction or transactions in violation of this article are in an aggregate amount which exceeds $500.00, in which case such person shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $5,000.00 or by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years, or both.

(b) Any secondary metals recycler knowingly and intentionally engaging in any practice which constitutes a violation of this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, provided that if a secondary metals recycler knowingly and intentionally engages in a pattern of practices which constitute violations of this article and the transactions included in this pattern are in an aggregate amount which exceeds $500.00, such secondary metals recycler shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $5,000.00 or by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years, or both.