East Brunswick NJ Theft Offense Defense Lawyers
Our Former East Brunswick & Middlesex County Prosecutors Are Ready To Provide A Free Consultation
If you are reading this page, it is likely that you have been charged with a theft offense in East Brunswick. “Theft” as it is used in our State’s criminal code is essentially a legal term of art that refers to not one offense, but a broad array of charges that are all housed under the same chapter of the Code. The common thread to all of these crimes is that they have the intent to deceive or deprive a true owner of the value of their property. While it is true that many of these offenses can lead to heavy fines and lengthy periods of incarceration, perhaps the more disturbing consequence is the effect a theft charge can have on your ability to maintain and or obtain gainful employment. The sad truth of the matter is that employers do not want to hire or continue to hire persons convicted of dishonest acts and stealing is definitely something they view in this regard.
It is certainly extremely important to retain the right attorney if you were arrested for theft in East Brunswick or elsewhere in Middlesex County. Here at the East Brunswick Office of our firm, we can offer you representation from a team of lawyers that has over 100 years of experience and includes both a former prosecutor of East Brunswick Municipal Court and in the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. It also helps that the defenses attorneys have successfully defend thousands of burglary, robbery, bad check and other theft offenses. To speak to a lawyer immediately about your theft offense in a free consultation, call 732-227-1200.
When we say “theft” charges, we essentially mean one of the following crimes that are for the most part collectively housed under Chapter 20 of N.J.S.A. 2C. These crimes include:
- Theft of movable property
- Theft by deception
- Theft of services
- Shoplifting
- Forgery
- Credit Card Fraud
- Identity Theft
- Prescription Theft or Forgery
- Carjacking
- Burglary
- Robbery
The most common of these offenses, theft of movable property, theft by deception, and theft of services, along with many others on this list, have the severity of the offense determined by the value of the property that is taken.
Grading & Penalties for Theft in New Jersey
Therefore, a disorderly persons offense occurs where the value of the property taken is less than $200. A fourth degree offense occurs when the value of the property is between $200 and $500. A third degree offense occurs where the value of the property taken is between $500 and $75,000. Lastly, a second degree offense occurs where the value of the property is over $75,000. While a disorderly persons offense is treated as a misdemeanor and handled in East Brunswick Municipal Court with the penalty being a maximum fine of $1,000, the rest of these charges are felonies subject to heavy fines and periods of incarceration. A fourth degree conviction can lead to fines of up to $10,000 and up to 18 months of incarceration. A third degree conviction can lead to fines of up to $15,000 and between 3 and 5 years of incarceration. Lastly a second degree conviction can lead to fines of up to $150,000 and a period of incarceration of between 5 and 10 years. It is also worth noting that in theft offenses where the theft is combined with some act of violence, as in the case of carjacking, this may be treated as a first degree offense, opening you up to the potential for 10 to 20 years of incarceration.
Theft Charge Defense attorney in East Brunswick NJ
Needless to say, all of this should serve to impress upon you the importance of obtaining not only competent, but the best representation that you can afford. There is more than just fines and jail time at stake here. A criminal conviction of a theft charge can follow you around the rest of your life. Here at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall, we believe that our 100 years of collective experience defending against theft charges in East Brunswick make us the most experienced and best qualified to get you a positive result in your theft case. Our team of attorneys, which includes many former prosecutors, know the ins and outs of these offenses and, therefore, they know best how to resolve your case in your favor. So please, if you or a loved one has been charged with a “theft” charge in East Brunswick, do not hesitate to contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced attorney about the particulars of your theft case.
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