You can face serious legal trouble if you’re charged with property crimes in Long Beach, CA. These crimes can be treated as infractions, misdemeanors, or felonies and can lead to heavy fines and even time spent in jail or prison. Working with an experienced law team can help you handle property crime charges in and out of court.
Our Long Beach property crimes lawyers have stellar skills that they can turn to helping you fight your charges. We can use our courtroom experience to deal with prosecutors and may be able to help you secure your future. Contact us and we can begin discussing your case right away with a FREE consultation.
How Our Lawyers Help With California Property Crimes
The state of California considers several acts to be property crimes, including:
- Arson
- Burglary
- Trespassing
- Vandalism
The laws related to these crimes are complicated. Some of these actions may be considered infractions, while others are seen as misdemeanors or even felonies, depending on the situation. Understanding what you’re going to face in the courtroom can be a daunting challenge, and the outcome of your case could lead to fines or prison time.
Working with an experienced property crimes lawyer can help strengthen your case, improving your odds for courtroom success.
Arson as a Property Crime in Long Beach
There are two kinds of arson recognized by California law.
- Reckless burning
- Malicious arson
Reckless burning is considered the less serious of the two crimes. It’s seen as a misdemeanor or a felony. Malicious arson, on the other hand, is always a felony. These acts are differentiated based on your intention when you set the fire. Malicious arson comes with more serious charges, but in either case you can face incarceration and heavy fines.
These cases can be difficult to handle in the courtroom on your own. Working with a skilled property crimes lawyer can boost your chances for success.
Burglary Property Crimes in California
California defines the act of burglary as entering into any structure, room, building, or locked vehicle in order to:
- Commit a felony, OR
- Commit petty theft
Note that you do not actually have to steal anything to be convicted of this crime. You don’t even have to break in. This crime is based solely on your intention to carry out a felony or to commit petty theft. It may be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on your situation. Based on how you are charged, you may face:
- Up to 1 year in jail
- Up to 6 years in prison
- Up to $10,000 in fines
You can improve your odds of successfully handling a burglary charge by working with a criminal defense lawyer who is familiar with the Long Beach area court system.
California’s Laws on Trespassing Property Crimes
Long Beach considers all forms of trespassing to be illegal, though some forms of this property crime are seen as more severe than others. General trespassing, which occurs if you enter someone’s property and you don’t have their permission, is often treated as an infraction. In most cases, you only have to pay a small fine to deal with this.
There is also criminal trespass, which differs from the standard form of trespass in that you enter someone’s property and:
- Intend to interfere with it
- Intend to damage it
- Actually interfere with or damage it
This form of trespass is treated as a misdemeanor. It can carry $1,000 in fines and up to 6 months in jail.
Additionally, you can be charged with aggravated trespass in California. You might face these charges if you previously made a threat against someone. Aggravated trespass can be seen as a misdemeanor or a felony by the court system. If it is treated as a felony, you could face up to three years in jail.
Ensuring that you’re properly represented in the courtroom may help you handle trespassing charges. Working with a skilled team that has logged a lot of legal experience may bolster your case.
Vandalism Property Crimes in Long Beach
Vandalism is considered a property crime because it involves defacing, damaging, or destroying the property of someone else. Depending on the severity of the damage, this crime may be treated as an infraction, a misdemeanor, or a felony.
Individuals who commit vandalism for the first time and cause less than $250 in damage usually face infractions, which require them to pay a small fine. However, if you cause up to $400 in damage, or have been charged with vandalism repeatedly, you could be charged with a misdemeanor.
If you cause over $400 in damages, you will likely face felony charges, which could lead to up to 3 years in prison and severe fines.
You can work to make sure your side of a vandalism case is heard by working with a property crimes lawyer who is dedicated to helping you succeed.
Get Help From a Long Beach Property Crimes Lawyer
The Simmrin Law Group can offer you assistance if you’ve been charged with vandalism, trespassing, burglary and arson. Our experienced property crimes lawyers know how to win cases in California. We can help guide you through the legal system with our extensive criminal defense experience. You can contact us for a FREE consultation by calling us at (301) 997-4688 or by filling out the form on the right.