A 46-year-old man was reportedly arrested and accused of committing burglary at several strip malls on the North side of Tucson a couple of weeks ago. In fact, authorities are saying this man is connected to nearly 50 burglaries starting in September 2011, which occurred in the cities of Marana, Oro Valley and Sahuarita. Officials reported the man faces felony warrant and burglary charges and has been booked in Pima County Jail. It was stated in a news report regarding the arrest that he has already been charged in two of those 50 burglary cases.
Penalties for Burglary
So what penalties is this man facing if he is convicted? In Arizona, burglary is considered a theft crime and sentencing outcomes vary greatly from court to court and judge to judge. As a general rule of thumb, if the value of stolen goods is less than $1,000, the defendant can face a class 1 misdemeanor and up to 6 months in jail. As the total value of the stolen item(s) increases, so do the penalties if convicted of criminal theft in Arizona.
Although it is impossible to know what punishment a Arizona judge will ultimately hand down for a theft crime like burglary, it is possible for defendants to reduce the severity of their charges by hiring a criminal defense attorney. A qualified Mesa criminal defense attorney will be able to combat the prosecution’s case and question the evidence brought against you.
What If a Juvenile Commits Burglary?
Burglary and theft crime cases are also different if being heard in Arizona juvenile court. If you are a juvenile or know of a juvenile being charged with a burglary or theft crime, it is vitally important for you to contact a juvenile defense attorney mesa AZ so that the case can be heard and defended properly in Arizona juvenile court. If you are facing criminal allegations of theft, including burglary, credit card fraud, embezzlement, identity theft, petty theft, robbery, shoplifting, or stealing, you need to contact an experienced criminal defense lawyer immediately to help ensure that your rights are protected.
Charlie Naegle is a Mesa property crimes lawyer who works with individuals in Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Phoenix, Gilbert, Apache Junction, Scottsdale and Glendale. For more information or to schedule your free, confidential, 24/7 consultation, call 480-245-5550 immediately.