Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Blog
Defending Theft Charges in North Carolina
Theft is one of the most common crime charges in North Carolina. Theft is often called larceny. There are a variety of different theft crimes and they could be misdemeanors or felonies. Regardless of whether you are charged with a misdemeanor or a felony, you could face serious consequences if convicted. A conviction may make it difficult to obtain employment and find housing. A knowledgeable criminal defense attorney will help defend the charges and protect your rights.
Types of Larceny Crimes
There are several different crimes that fall under the general category of larceny. Larceny is the unlawful taking of someone’s property without permission. The person who takes the property intends to permanently deprive the owner of it. Larceny charges can also apply to someone who receives or buys stolen property. Larceny charges can be minor, such as shoplifting, or more serious, such as auto theft.
North Carolina law lists some types of larceny crimes. Some of these include receiving stolen goods, possession of stolen property, concealment of goods, taking parts off a vehicle, purse snatching, and passing a bad check, to name a few. Shoplifting refers to taking something from a store and it turns into larceny once the person leaves the premises without paying for the items.
Theft is one of the most common crime charges in North Carolina. In this video, managing member Matt Arnold goes into detail about theft charges in North Carolina.
Misdemeanors and Felonies
In general, a misdemeanor is a less serious charge than a felony. The penalties for a misdemeanor conviction differ from the penalties for a felony conviction. In North Carolina, larceny becomes a felony charge when the value of the stolen property of services is under $1,000. Larceny also is a felony if the property was taken from a person, if the property stolen was a firearm or when property was stolen in a burglary.
The penalties for a misdemeanor larceny conviction may include up to 45 days of confinement, fines, community service, and probation. A felony larceny conviction will result in up to 8 months in jail. If your vehicle was used in the commission of a crime where the theft was more than $2,000 it is possible that it might be seized. You could also be required to repay the value of the stolen property.
Defending Larceny Charges
There are various options your attorney has available to defend theft charges. Your lawyer will review and evaluate the details of the arrest and evidence to determine how to proceed. For example, if law enforcement made a mistake and violated your rights when they arrested you or gathered evidence, it may be possible to eliminate that particular portion of evidence from the case. If that happens, it may be more difficult for the prosecutor to prove your guilt. In some instances, the prosecutor may allow you to plead guilty to a lesser crime in order to get a reduced sentence.
If you have been charged with a crime, you will not want to risk the possibility of being found guilty. An experienced criminal defense attorney will vigorously work to defend the charges and guide you through the legal process. Do not wait to hire an attorney. Contact us at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, at (704) 370-2828 for a free initial consultation.
The criminal defense attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC make it their mission to zealously defend their clients on a wide range of criminal matters at both the state and federal levels. These matters may include any charge from traffic offenses; DWI/DUI; drug charges (from simple possession to possession with intent to distribute and trafficking); gun permit denials; weapons offenses; and property crimes (larceny, breaking and entering, robbery, fraud, embezzlement, white collar offenses); to sexually related offenses (indecent exposure; sexual assault, crimes against nature, removal from sex offender registry); and violent crimes (domestic violence; assault; manslaughter; homicide, murder). Other legal issues that Arnold & Smith, PLLC criminal clients may be facing include restraining orders, restraining order and probation violations, expungements; appeals; and immigration issues related to criminal charges. Our criminal defense attorneys are passionate about ensuring that individuals empower themselves by being informed about their constitutional rights, and stand at the ready to fight in the defense of those facing criminal charges.
Source:
https://www.ncleg.net/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bysection/chapter_14/gs_14-72.html
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/misdemeanor
Image Credit:
https://www.freeimages.com/photo/car-theft-1572653
See Our Related Video from our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/ArnoldSmithPLLC/videos
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What are Defenses to Motor Vehicle Theft (Auto Larceny) Charges in North Carolina?