Receiving Of Stolen Property
At times, an individual may not be aware that the property he or she received is in fact stolen. If you were charged with receiving stolen property, it is important not to lose time and to get in touch with an experienced defense attorney at the earliest opportunity.
An individual may be found guilty if he or she was buying, selling or possessing the stolen property. In order to convict a person, the prosecutor will need to prove that the defendant is guilty beyond any reasonable doubt. The prosecutor must prove three key elements beyond a reasonable doubt to establish that a defendant is guilty:
- The defendant knowingly and willingly received the stolen property
- The property that the defendant has received was in fact stolen
- The defendant was actually aware that the property he or she received was stolen or had reasons to believe that the property was stolen by the time he or she has received the property
In case the property’s value was under $400, the crime is considered a misdemeanor. This means that you will be paying fines and risk spending up to one year in the correctional facility. If you had any previous theft related convictions, these may also influence the court’s decision and will add to your sentence.
If you have committed a felony and the property’s value was above $400, you may be risking to spend up to three years in jail. The term will be largely based on how severe the crime was and the stolen property’s value in general. Prior criminal records may contribute to the sentence as well.
Contact Our Law Firm
If you were accused of receiving stolen property, it is crucial to hire a professional lawyer as soon as possible. Regardless of the property’s value, you will need to have proper legal representation – a skilled and experienced attorney, who knows how to handle such cases. He will go through all the available evidence in order to determine what the prosecution may have on you and will eventually come up with a solid defense strategy. Being accused of receiving stolen property may have a very negative effect on your life in general, so it is vital to seek proper defense and to work with a good lawyer. If you need help with receiving stolen property charges, contact us today!