A father and son face charges of selling stolen property. They worked with a third accomplice who was a government employee. The employee allegedly misused a government-issued credit card to purchase expensive tools. Police say that the men resold the tools for cash. It took a lengthy investigation by police to unearth the fraud.
The government employee may need a stolen property criminal defense lawyer and a lawyer for drug defense too. Upon his arrest, the accomplice admitted that he used the cash from the illegal sales to buy prescription pills. The amount of the theft is unknown. However, law enforcement believes it’s at least $20,000.
If you’re facing crimes related to stolen property, your Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyer will examine the charges carefully. The police need to be able to prove that you knew the property was stolen, but the law presumes that unless you have a good explanation, you’re presumed to know that it’s stolen property. The law also assumes that you know about the property’s stolen status if you buy it for significantly below the real market value.
Florida law defines stolen property as any property that’s been criminally, wrongfully taken. The severity of the offense depends on the value of the property that’s taken. There are also reasons that the charges might be more serious than a typical offense. Some of these include if the property is law enforcement property or medical equipment.
If you’re charged with stolen property, it’s important to work with a Fort Lauderdale stolen property defense attorney. An attorney can help you explore all of the facts in your case and help you make a plan for your best defense. In some cases, this type of charge can be a serious felony. However, it’s up to the state to prove the charges against you, and stolen property cases are often circumstantial.
In addition to preparing to take a case to trial, there are prosecution diversion options that are available in some cases. These options can resolve pending cases in a way that allows a person that’s facing charges to prove that they can reform and comply with the law in the future without receiving a permanent criminal record. A Fort Lauderdale stolen property defense attorney can help you weigh the options and decide what’s best for you. If you or someone you know is facing criminal charges or a similar legal situation contact Hassett & Associates, P.A. at (954) 791-3939.
