You must know that it is a crime to buy or accept items from a person who has obtained them illegally. Therefore, you might get severe punishment if the police arrest you for receiving stolen property. In addition, the judge may hand you a harsh judgment to discourage you from assisting thieves in engaging in criminal activities in the future. Below are some consequences of receiving stolen property and how an attorney can help you avoid them.
Consequences of Receiving Stolen Items
The punishment for receiving stolen property will depend on several factors, including whether the state charged you with committing a felony or misdemeanor offense. The judge will also determine your sentence depending on your state laws and the specifics of your case. For instance, they will keep in mind the value of the stolen items the police found in your possession during the arrest. Note that if the judge finds you guilty of this offense, they might sentence you to several weeks or months in prison. They might also order you to compensate the victim hurt by your criminal actions.
In addition, the jury may leave you with a hefty fine if they find you guilty. More importantly, you may get a harsher penalty if you faced similar charges previously. In this case, your fine may be higher, and your jail sentence may be longer. Given this, the best way to avoid these consequences is by hiring a defense lawyer to defend you. They will investigate your case to know the circumstances that led to your arrest and develop strong arguments to fight your charges.
Defenses Your Attorney Will Use to Fight Your Charges
When you appear in court, your legal representative will raise different arguments to help you avoid a harsh judgment. For example, they might claim someone brought you the items to set you up. They might also argue that you were intoxicated. Therefore, you may have forgotten to ask the person who gave you the stolen items where they got them. Your lawyer might also argue that the prosecuting attorney has not provided enough evidence to prove that you received stolen property. Ultimately, these defenses might convince the judge to throw out your case or give you a lenient judgment.
As the information above shows, a conviction for receiving stolen property can make you face severe consequences. Therefore, you need to contact a criminal defense law attorney as soon as the police arrest you for this crime. They'll build robust arguments that will help you avoid getting a harsh punishment.
Call a criminal defense attorney near you for more information.
Share20 December 2022
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