Albany Theft Lawyer
Theft charges in New York involve a wide array of criminal offenses which each involve different punishment ranges and are classified as either felony offenses or misdemeanor offenses. This is typical of most states in the country. An experienced Albany theft lawyer will be able to determine the best strategy for your theft case.
Theft Crimes in NY
New York State theft crimes are defined in the New York Penal Law as either Grand Larceny or Criminal Possession of Stolen Property. The two most common theft crimes in New York are Petit Larceny and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fifth Degree. These two theft offenses are quite similar and even punishable by up to one year in jail. However, petit larceny involves the wrongful taking of property while criminal possession of stolen property simply means the possession of stolen property even if you did not take part in the theft. Petit larceny additionally involves the theft of property less than $1,000.
Other theft crimes in New York include the following:
- Embezzlement: Theft of funds or assets entrusted to you
- Extortion: Occurs when a person uses threats or force to obtain something from another
- Grand Larceny: theft of property over $1,000
- White collar crimes such as identity theft, forgery, and fraud
Theft Crime Punishment Ranges
Theft crimes include a wide array of charges which equally lead to a discrepancy in sentencing guidelines. For example, shoplifting and grand larceny do not include the same punishment ranges. Instead, punishment range depends largely on the nature of the offense. Theft crimes fall into the following categories:
Classification, Crime and Punishment
- “A” Misdemeanor – Shoplifting and Petit Larceny. Up to one year in jail.
- “E” Felony – Embezzlement, Credit Card Theft, or other larceny involving theft over $1,000 but under $3,000. Up to four years in prison.
- “D” Felony – Embezzlement, Extortion or other theft above $3,000 but not more than $50,000; Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree. Up to seven years in prison.
- “C” Felony – Grand Larceny in the Second Degree for property between $50,000 and $1,000,000; Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Second Degree; Mortgage Fraud in the Second Degree. Up to fifteen years in prison.
- “B” Felony – Grand Larceny in the First Degree for thefts over $1,000,000; Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the First Degree; Mortgage Fraud in the First Degree. Up to 25 years in prison.
Each punishment range is dependent on the facts of the case, and may be less than what is apparent. New York courts often allow for alternative sentencing such as probation and community service except in the egregious theft cases.
Contact Hug Law, PLLC – Albany Theft & Criminal Defense Lawyer
Matthew Hug of Hug Law, PLLC has nearly ten years of experience in defending clients’ rights throughout the Albany NY area including Saratoga, Schenectady and Troy. Theft crime cases are quite unique and often involve a wide spectrum of case facts. Something as simple as keeping a bottle of wine from work while you were holding it for your boss could be considered embezzlement. Do not let a tiny thing like that ruin the rest of your life.