Leesburg Larceny, Theft & Fraud Attorney
Caleb Kershner and the criminal defense attorneys at Simms Showers, LLP provide strong, effective defense against charges of larceny, fraud and other theft and property offenses in Leesburg and Loudoun County, Virginia. Having handled thousands of cases and hundreds of trials from the perspective of prosecuting attorneys and defenders, our team has the knowledge, skills and experience to provide advice and representation geared toward getting you the best possible outcome. Contact our Leesburg larceny, theft & fraud defense attorneys.
Virginia Larceny Laws
Larceny, or theft, involves intentionally taking the property of another (person or business) with the intent to steal it or permanently deprive the owner from it. Whether larceny is charged as a misdemeanor or a felony generally depends upon the value of the goods in question. Misdemeanor larceny, or petit larceny, is charged when the value of the property taken is less than $200 if taken from a place or less than $5 if taken from a person. Felony larceny, or grand larceny, is charged when the value of the property is $200 or more (if taken from a place) or $5 or more (if taken from a person). Also, theft of a gun or other firearm is grand larceny, regardless of its value. Our Leesburg grand larceny attorneys can help you today
As a Class 1 misdemeanor, a conviction for petit larceny can result in up to $2,500 in fines and up to 12 months in jail. If a person is convicted of petit larceny and has a prior conviction, the judge will impose a minimum sentence of at least 30 days in jail. As a felony, a grand larceny conviction is much more serious and carries penalties up to 20 years in prison! If the Commonwealth’s Attorney charges and proves larceny with intent to resell the item, the judge will impose a minimum sentence of at least two years in prison upon conviction. Contact one of our Loudoun petit larceny attorneys to get help today.
Shoplifting is Larceny in Virginia
Like other larceny crimes, the offense of shoplifting can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony, depending upon whether the value of the goods is at or above the $200 threshold. Besides taking goods from a store, actions such as switching price tags on goods or transferring items from one container to another may be considered shoplifting.
When stopped by store security, many people are scared and embarrassed and allow themselves to be bullied into making statements or accepting responsibility for a crime they may not actually have committed. If you are detained at a store and later arrested by police, ask to speak with a Larceny attorney in Loudoun or Leesburg as soon as possible.
Fraud
Theft can be committed through force or the threat of force, such as in a robbery, or it can be accomplished through deception. Offenses committed by way of deception generally fall under the category of fraud. A look at the Virginia criminal code reveals about 100 different fraud offenses, such as:
- Embezzlement
- Forgery
- Obtaining money by false pretenses
- Issuing bad checks
- Making false statements to obtain property or credit
- Identity theft
- Credit card fraud
- Misrepresentation
- Pyramid schemes or Ponzi schemes
- Money laundering
As with other criminal offenses, every specific fraud offense has specific elements which must be proven by the Commonwealth to secure a conviction, including the defendant’s intent or state of mind. As a person charged with crime, you are innocent until proven guilty, and if the prosecution cannot prove its case, you are entitled to go free.
Help is Available with Leesburg Larceny & Theft Arrests
As noted above, the severity of many theft offenses depends upon the value of the item in question. Where the value of the item is subject to some dispute, your attorney may be able to have a felony grand larceny or shoplifting charge reduced to a misdemeanor. Other circumstances may also be present which your lawyer could use to get the charges reduced or dropped. At Simms Showers, LLP, we evaluate the strength of the prosecutor’s case and your available defenses and craft a strategy designed to get you a positive result at the earliest possible stage. In Loudoun County and northern Virginia, call toll-free at 703-997-7821 for a free consultation with Leesburg larceny, fraud and theft crimes attorney Caleb Kershner.
