If you were arrested or charged with theft or dealing in stolen property in Florida, you should immediately contact a qualified criminal defense attorney in Fort Lauderdale. Even the least serious degrees of these offenses can result in jail terms and fines, and it only gets more serious after that.

Theft

In Florida, theft is used to refer to different property crimes which include stealing, larceny, misappropriation, conversion, and other offenses. The crime is generally committed when a person uses or takes someone else’s property without authorization. Florida laws categorize theft into petty theft and grand theft.

Petty theft may also be charged as second-degree theft or first-degree theft. Second-degree theft concerns stolen property worth $99 or less and it is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail, 6 months’ probation and/or a fine of not more than $500. First-degree theft is committed when the stolen property is valued between $100 and $299. It will be punished as a first-degree misdemeanor with jail terms up to 1 year and fines up to $1,000.

Grand theft may be committed and charged in the third degree, second degree or first degree. In the third degree, the theft concerns property worth between $300 and $19,999. The penalty is more serious here, including up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.

In the second degree, the offense concerns property worth between $20,000 and $99,999. It is punished as a second-degree felony with jail terms up to 15 years and fines up to $10,000. First-degree grand theft is the most serious theft offense in Florida and is committed when the stolen property is worth $100,000, among other factors. A conviction for first-degree grand theft is punishable with up to 30 years in prison and fines up to $10,000.

Dealing in stolen property
Dealing in stolen property is defined under Florida laws as selling, transferring, distributing or otherwise disposing of stolen property. A person that commits the offense of theft and then transfers that property may be charged with dealing in stolen property as well. The offense is a second-degree felony, regardless of the value of the stolen property, and is punishable by up to 15 years in prison or 15-year probation.

Prosecutors often charge this offense to request extremely strict punishment for even minor forms of theft. If you have been arrested or charged with the offense, immediately contact a criminal defense attorney in Fort Lauderdale.

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