St. Louis property crimes attorney

Property crimes are a prevalent offense in Missouri. While common, they are severe, can carry lengthy prison sentences and hefty fines, and look extremely bad on your record while seeking employment. Relying on a St. Louis property crimes attorney can give you a strong chance of beating the charges and protecting your future.

If you or a family member faces a property crime charge, you must seek serious representation from a skilled St. Louis criminal defense attorney. Contact Attorney John Schleiffarth can deliver the required experience for fighting minor property crimes like trespassing or significant offenses such as robbery.

Strong defense for many Missouri property crimes

While a property crime doesn’t usually involve bodily injury or death, property owners can suffer emotional distress or financial loss when their possessions are taken or destroyed. You must understand what might happen if you’re charged with this kind of crime.

You’ll need a reputable and aggressive St. Louis property crimes attorney to evaluate the charges and prepare a customized defense strategy. At JCS Law, our team is familiar with handling cases such as:

• Trespassing
• Robbery
• Tampering
• Theft
• Property damage
• Vandalism
• Burglary
• Stealing
• Arson

Your JCS St. Louis property crimes attorney will investigate your situation and give you an honest projection of what you can expect. We know you may be afraid and unsure of your chances in court, but we will be right by your side for every step of the fight.

How a St. Louis property crimes attorney can help

Working with a St. Louis property crimes attorney gives you a significant advantage over going alone. If this is your first offense, you’ll be overwhelmed trying to navigate the legal process. You might make mistakes that help the prosecutor charge you because you didn’t know what to do and what not to do.

When you engage JCS Law, you will collaborate with a qualified St. Louis property damage defense attorney who will interpret the law to your advantage. We will forcefully negotiate with the prosecutor’s team to arrange options to dismiss or reduce your charges. We always remember that you are a person who has the constitutional right to a fair trial.

A St. Louis property crimes attorney with JCS Law will work hard to maintain the presumption of innocence for you in the minds of the judge and jury. We will ensure you have the most robust legal defense we can provide for your circumstances. Ultimately, our goal is to achieve the best outcome possible for you.

Property crimes come with serious charges.

Missouri divides property crimes into two categories: first-degree and second-degree. There are also statutes governing institutional vandalism, as well as municipal codes. You could face anything from a minor local violation to a full felony charge, and the penalties escalate accordingly. Felonies are divided into A, B, C, D, and E classes, with E carrying the lowest fines and jail time.

The seriousness of your charge will depend on the property’s value, what kind of property was damaged or stolen, and other aggravating factors. Carrying a weapon or hurting someone during a property crime makes the punishment much worse.

If the amount of damage is $750 or less, it’s considered a second-degree situation, and you’ll probably receive a misdemeanor charge. If you’re over $750, you’re in first-degree felony territory where damage beyond $5000 warrants a Class D felony,

A Class E felony may land you in prison for up to four years, while a Class A felony puts you behind bars for up to 30 years. Fines are another concern, ranging from $500 for misdemeanors to $2000 for Class A charges. Getting both prison time and fines reduced can be complicated and should be handled by a highly experienced St. Louis property damage attorney from JCS Law.

Penalties you may face for a property crime in St. Louis

Understanding all the variations of fines and incarceration time can be confusing, so let’s focus on theft crimes to give you a better picture. Here are some guidelines for what you might receive:

• Class A felony theft: If you steal any container holding anhydrous ammonia, which is used in making methamphetamine, you’re looking at 10 to 30 years or even life in prison.
• Class B felony theft: This level covers stealing anhydrous ammonia or liquid nitrogen, as well as livestock, motor vehicles, aircraft, watercraft, or property from a financial institution. You could get between five to 15 years in prison.
• Class C felony theft: If you take any property or steal services worth $25,000 or more, your sentence could be three to ten years plus a fine up to $10,000.
• Class D felony theft: Stealing property or services between $750 and $25,000 results in up to seven years of incarceration and up to $10,000 in fines.
• Class E felony theft: You may receive up to four years in prison and a $10,000 fine for stealing any animal not listed in the other felonies.

There are further classifications for misdemeanors. Because there are so many variations, and the prosecuting attorney wants to hit you with the most penalties possible, you need a tenacious theft lawyer in St. Louis behind you. Fighting for your rights and freedom is our primary focus at JCS Law, and we won’t let you down.

Theft versus robbery

Theft and robbery are often the same things in most people’s minds, but the law sees them very differently. Using the threat of force or a weapon elevates theft to robbery in Missouri. If you engaged in these actions, you need guidance from a robbery charge lawyer in St. Louis, MO.

What are intentional property damage crimes?

One crucial factor in determining the severity of your charges is whether you intentionally or knowingly committed the crime. This is when an experienced St. Louis property crimes attorney working for you counts. The prosecutor will try to prove you knew what you were doing so they can add more weight to their case.

Proving that you were intentional can be difficult, so that gives your lawyers some room to work against the charges. If you stole or damaged something by accident, you have a chance to beat the charge, but things like being drunk aren’t an excuse. You’ll need to fight against the circumstances that might indicate you knew what you were doing.

This becomes crucial for insurance fraud, where the insurance company is looking to charge you. Even if you own the property, they can come after you, especially if someone else also has a controlling interest. Insurance companies hate paying out claims, so they are always on the lookout for fraud and love making examples of people they think are guilty.

Don’t let this happen to you. Whether you need a St. Louis theft attorney, a St. Louis robbery lawyer, or a St. Louis property crimes attorney, JCS Law is waiting to hear from you so we can start your case.

Defending you against wrongful or excessive charges

When the charges against you are excessive or wrongful, you deserve every opportunity to fight against being mistreated by the justice system. Our team specializes in using powerful defense strategies as well as using every advantage allowed by law. For example, we can’t get your prosecutor changed, but it’s possible to request a different judge who may be more lenient for your case.

One of our first actions will be to request that your charges be dismissed. When we have enough evidence to show that the charges are bogus or unfair, a strong case can sometimes convince prosecutors that pursuing you isn’t worth their time.

Our team can negotiate to have your charges reduced. We work out plea bargains so you face lower penalties. You’ll have to plead guilty, but the difference between having a misdemeanor and a felony record is tremendously essential for your future.

Our team has found that there’s always more to your story than the prosecution wants to tell. For example, a JCS Law robbery lawyer in St. Louis County knows that high poverty, desperation, and mental illness could drive you to actions you might never take otherwise. We want to tell your side with compassion and skill.

Speak with a St. Louis property crimes attorney today

Don’t take chances with your freedom and your future. Property crime convictions can ruin your future employment, housing, education, and voting chances. We fight hard for your rights, and do not back down.

John Schleiffarth and his JCS Law team have experience with photo line-ups, line-up identification, eye-witness identification, evidence, chain-of-custody, confessions, and many other essential aspects of adequately defending property crimes. We believe in treating every client with respect and are dedicated to providing superior legal representation for you. Seek a bold and aggressive defense and call us today at (314) 561-9690, or use our online form to schedule a free consultation.