§ 512. Operation while registration or privilege is suspended or revoked. Any person who operates any motor vehicle upon a public highway while the certificate of registration of such motor vehicle or privilege of operation of such motor vehicle in this state or privilege of obtaining a certificate of registration issued by the commissioner is suspended or revoked shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be subject to a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than one hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not exceeding thirty days or by both such fine and imprisonment for conviction of a first offense; by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than two hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not exceeding ninety days or by both such fine and imprisonment for a conviction of a second offense committed within a period of eighteen months; by a fine of not less than two hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not exceeding one hundred eighty days or by both such fine and imprisonment for a conviction of a third or subsequent offense committed within a period of eighteen months.