Williamson County Theft Attorney

Looking For a Criminal Defense Lawyer For Theft Charges in Williamson County Texas?

If you are facing criminal charges for theft, it is in your best interest to seek legal counsel immediately. Theft charges can be anything from shoplifting a bottle of wine to stealing a car. Theft charges regard any instance in which someone’s property is stolen with the “specific intent to permanently deprive them of possession.” Shoplifting crimes, which fall under the Theft of Property law, and paying using a check with insufficient funds in your account (and not reissuing payment after receiving a notice), so-called Theft by Check, are the most common types of theft. Other forms of theft charges described in the Penal Code include Theft of Service and Organized Retail Theft.

Theft charges are always to be taken seriously, no matter how low the value of the stolen items or money. If you are convicted of theft, this charge will be put on your permanent record, which is something that can haunt you for the rest of your life. Both landlords and employers sometimes ask about having any criminal convictions, meaning that a theft charge on your record may make it much more difficult for you to find a good job and housing in the future.

Besides a charge on your criminal record, you will also be facing a fine and potentially even jail time. The exact penalties that you may be facing in case of a Theft of Property case vary depending on the value of the property that was stolen:

• When the stolen property is valued at $1,500 or more it can be charged as a felony, which can be penalized with a high fine and jail time up to 99 years if the value is over $200,000.

• When the stolen property is valued between $500 and $1,500, the crime is generally charged as a Class-A misdemeanor, punishable with a fine and jail time up to 1 year.

• When the stolen property is valued between $50 and $500 or between $20 and $500 in case the property was obtained by issuing a “bouncing” check, a Class-B misdemeanor can be charged, punishable with a fine and confinement in jail for up to 180 days.

• When the stolen property is valued below $50 or below $20 if it was obtained using a “bouncing” check, a Class-C misdemeanor may be charged, punishable with a fine of up to $500.

If the defendant has prior theft convictions, slightly different guidelines apply. The identity of and capacity in which the defendant stole the property will also play a role in the penalties that may be charged.

While you may be tempted to just pay the fine if you are facing a Class-C misdemeanor theft charge, you have to realize that this charge will remain on your permanent record, which could seriously affect your life.

The Law Office of Gregory R. Terra

Facing any type of criminal charge is a difficult and potentially life-altering experience that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Even if you have only been charged for a Class-C misdemeanor, it is in your best interest to hire the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney. A good attorney may be able to help you get minor charges dropped or lessened and negotiate a better plea bargain deal.

At the Law Office of Gregory R. we can help guide you through the entire legal process after a you’ve been arrested for theft. We will thoroughly investigate your case, starting from the information you provide us and copies of the police report and video that we will obtain. If anything appears to be incorrectly described in the police report according to your recollection, we will ask you to write a correct statement that we will provide to the prosecutor. After careful examination of the facts of your case, we will discuss all the possible defense options and any legal issues that may pop up.

We will use all our experience and legal knowledge to have your case dismissed. If dismissal is not possible we will negotiate aggressively to achieve a favorable plea bargain deal with reduced charges. While we will always attempt to settle the matter outside of court, if we believe that you should not take the prosecutor’s offer and instead take your case to court, we will be fully prepared for this after we’ve discussed this option together.

Contact The Law Office of Gregory R. Terra Today

If you’ve been arrested for any type of theft charges in Williamson County, it is important that you contact a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. We offer a free 15-20 minute consultation during which we will evaluate your case. Contact us now by calling (512) 635-4368 or get in touch through our contact form.