Daytona Beach Grand Theft Attorney
Defending Clients Accused OF Grand Theft In Deland, Daytona Beach and Throughout Central Florida
Theft is a crime that is defined in Florida Statute 812.014. Theft covers an array of offenses, including petit theft and grand theft. In theft cases, one of the biggest factors used to determine the degree of the offense is the value of the property that was stolen. The value of the property will determine if the offense is classified as a misdemeanor or a felony.
Are you facing charges for grand theft? Call Thompson Law, P.A., today at (386) 280-4977 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with our grand theft lawyer in Daytona Beach & DeLand.
Grand Theft vs. Petit Theft
The term “theft” can carry numerous images. Maybe you think of a teenager taking a video game from Walmart, or maybe you think of a masked criminal sneaking away from a vehicle, the car’s radio tucked under his or her arm. While both images portray theft, there is a key difference between them: one is likely a misdemeanor, and the other is likely a felony.
What determines this? In most cases, the value of the property stolen will determine if the offense is a misdemeanor or a felony. If we stick with our teenager analogy, we can guess that he or she will be charged with a misdemeanor since the value of the game will be less than $100. The teenager will face a maximum of 60 days in jail, probation, and a fine. But what about the person who stole the car radio? If the radio is valued at $300 or more, then this person will face a felony charge of Grand Theft.
Grand Theft Under Florida Statutes
Like all crimes, Grand Theft is defined by the Florida Statutes. Grand Theft is part of statute 812.014 for Theft. Generally, a person commits theft when he or she knowingly obtains to use, or endeavors to obtain or use, the property of another person with the intent to either temporarily or permanently deprive the other person of a right or benefit from the property; or, to use the property of another when they are not entitled to use of the property.
When Does Theft Become Grand Theft?
To move from theft to Grand Theft, the value of the property must be more than $300 [Fl. Stat. 812.014(2)(c)]. What is most interesting is that the person who stole the item does not have to profit from the item. Take for example, someone who steals a bike for their teenage child during Christmas. While the parent may never enjoy riding the bike, they can still be charged with theft. The State only has to prove that the person took the item.
Is Grand Theft a Felony?
If you are accused of Grand Theft, you are facing a felony charge. Grand theft is a third-degree felony, and is punishable by up to 5 years in jail, 5 years of probation, and a fine of $5,000. If the property taken is valued at $300, the maximum fine alone is 16 times higher than the value of the property. But the amount alone does not determine the degree of the offense: the type of property taken can result in a higher degree.
If the property taken is emergency medical equipment taken from an emergency medical facility or vehicle, or if the property taken is law enforcement equipment taken from an emergency vehicle, the charge moves from a third-degree felony to a first-degree felony. A first-degree felony is punishable by up to 30 years in jail, 30 years of probation, and a fine of $10,000.
The Thompson Law Approach
Having worked as a criminal defense attorney in DeLand, Florida, for over ten years, Attorney Matt Thompson has dealt with his fair share of theft charges. Matt Thompson has dealt with people who are accused of stealing merchandise, vehicles, air conditioners, and even a dog. Knowing all of this, you can see how there is a lot at stake if you’ve been accused of Grand Theft. With all of this at stake, you want an attorney who is experienced and gets results. At Thompson Law, we know that no two cases are identical, so we begin each case by speaking directly to you. We will work with you every step of the way to ensure that your defense is built with solid foundations and with your particular circumstances in mind.
When it comes to high-stake charges like Grand Theft, attorney Matt Thompson has the knowledge to be an aggressive advocate against the State. While not every case will go to trial, Thompson Law prepares every case as though it will. As a former prosecutor, Matt Thompson knows what weaknesses to look for and how to best present those weaknesses to a judge or jury. This means that we begin attacking the State’s evidence the moment you begin working with us. The sooner Thompson Law, P.A. can start advocating for you, the more likely it is that we can get you the results you need.
Contact Thompson Law, P.A., today to get started on your defense with our Daytona Beach grand theft attorney.
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Working Closely with You To Build a strong case-
Domestic ViolenceClient was texting a friend when her significant other tried to grab for her phone. When the client tried to pull away, the victim claimed that he was battered and the client was arrested and brought before DCF due a child being in the house. Attorney Matt Thompson wrote a letter to the State explaining the discrepancy in evidence and claimed that the client was in fact moving away from the victim and did not intentionally try to hit the victim. All charges against the client were dismissed.
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Sale and Possession of Heroin
Defendant entered a treatment facility while case was pending. Attorney Thompson provided progress reports of all of her progress during her stay to show improvement. State agreed to amend all charges to simple possession and the Defendant was sentenced into Drug Court.
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Aggravated Assault with a Firearm
Client was accused of shooting a shotgun over the head of two minors. Attorney Thompson did a public records request to discover that officers reported to the scene of the crime the night of the incident and spoke to the victims on the evening the alleged crime occurred and believed the victims to be intoxicated and unreliable. Attorney Thompson conducted depositions of the officers and ultimately all charges were reduced to a misdemeanor and no incarceration.
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Grand Theft, Fleeing, Possession of a Fictitious Driver’s License
Attorney Matt Thompson, through depositions and litigation was able to show that officers did not act according to the warrant by picking up the client immediately upon sight. The charge of Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Law Enforcement, which carries a mandatory felony conviction, was dismissed by the State and the client was offered probation and no felony conviction.
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Sexual Battery & Domestic Battery
Mr. Thompson took depositions of the victim showing that the victim was not truthful with police when she provided her statement as to what happened. Confronted victim with social media posts, bank records, and telephone records to show that she was not in the places that she stated she was during the time the alleged crime took place. Case 1 was dismissed and the Defendant pled to Case 2 and received two (2) years of prison and credit for fifteen (15) months in prison.
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Over 15 Years of ExperienceThere's no substitute for experience. When faced with a serious crime, you need an attorney who has successfully handled numerous cases like yours.
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Aggressive Trial AttorneyMatt Thompson is a skilled trial attorney and has achieved many positive jury verdicts. If your case goes to trial, you can be confident that Matt is equipped to represent you.
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High-Quality Legal RepresentationAt Thompson Law, P.A., every client matters. This means that your case will receive the personal attention and care it deserves.
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Criminal Defense Is All We DoBecause our firm only focuses on criminal defense matters, you can trust our team has the specific knowledge needed to handle you case successfully.