A few years ago, I was in a pretty serious car accident. During the aftermath, I became really familiar with a lot of different types of lawyers. I worked with personal injury lawyers, insurance lawyers, and many others. Perhaps the most important, though, was the estate planning lawyer. I was really young, and neither my wife or I had thought about starting a will. But the accident kind of scared us into it. What would happen if one of us were to die? Even when still in the hospital, I was working with the lawyer to draw up a will. Now, I have some peace and security about what the future will be like if something should happen to me. And I have a lot of experience working with various types of lawyers! The accident was kind of a blessing in disguise in that way.
When property is stolen, oftentimes the goal is to sell the stolen property as soon as possible. If you purchase an item that turns out to be stolen, not only has the thief committed a crime but you might also be charged with a crime. To avoid facing criminal charges, make sure to speak with a criminal defense attorney as soon as you can.
Penalties for Knowingly Receiving Stolen Property
After a theft, you might be required to pay restitution even if you did not steal the item. This means that you may be required to pay the victim of the theft for the damages resulting from the stolen property.
In addition to being required to pay restitution, you may also be sent to prison if convicted. The amount of time you would spend in prison depends on how much the property was worth and whether this is a first-time offense.
What the Prosecutor Must Prove
One of the primary questions in this type of case is whether you knew that the property was stolen. If the prosecutor can prove this, you will likely be convicted. However, even if the prosecutor is not able to prove that you knew the property was stolen, they may still be able to argue successfully that you should have known the property was stolen given the circumstances.
For example, if an individual is selling a large number of TVs and is not working for a retail company, you may be left wondering where the TVs came from and why they are being sold for such a discount. A prosecutor might argue that you should have known they were stolen.
On the other hand, if you purchase what appears to be a used item from a garage sale, there is no reason you would know that the item was stolen. Also, if you obtained stolen property and became aware of this fact, you would only be considered guilty if you still intended to keep the stolen property.
How to Avoid Serious Criminal Charges
If you are accused of this crime, speak with a criminal defense attorney as soon as you can. There are several possible outcomes that are favorable to you such as the dismissal of the charges, a jury acquittal, or you may be able to have your charges reduced and face a less severe penalty. A criminal defense attorney will discuss your legal options with you and represent you in court.
Share10 January 2023
