DC Burglary Lawyer
Generally speaking, burglary is a felony offense in DC that entails entering into a house or a building of another person with the intention of committing a crime once inside. A person charged with burglary should hire a DC burglary lawyer immediately due to the fact that it is a very serious crime that is prosecuted aggressively. Depending on the circumstances of the burglary, a person could be imprisoned for up to 30 years. A theft lawyer in DC can look at the facts and circumstances of the case and mitigate the damage as much as possible.
Prosecution
The prosecution takes burglary cases very seriously in DC. Burglary is considered a violent offense and usually involves entering another person’s home or place of residence. Since everyone has an expectation of safety in their own home, the government fights hard to protect people from these types of crimes.
What is the Difference Between Trespassing and Burglary?
In DC, trespass is referred to as an unlawful entry. Unlawful entry occurs when a person purposely enters a private or public building without authority and against the will of the person who is the lawful occupant or is lawfully in charge of the premises. It is a different type of charge altogether. Burglary, however as a burglary attorney in DC can tell you, requires the additional element of the intention at the time of the entry to commit a crime once inside the property. In DC, unlawful entry is a misdemeanor, whereas burglary is a felony.
Attempted Burglary
Even an attempted burglary is considered a serious offense. Since burglary is considered a crime of violence, an attempt to commit a burglary carries potential penalties of five years in prison, a $12,500 fine, or both.
If one person causes damage to another person’s property while attempting to commit a burglary, that person could be charged with malicious destruction of property in addition to attempted burglary. To prove malicious destruction of property, the government must show that the person intended to damage the property or at least was aware that their conduct created a substantial risk of harm to the property.
The potential penalties for destruction of property depend on the amount of the loss and value of the property. For example, if the loss was $1,000 or more, a person could face penalties up to 10 years in prison, a $25,000 fine, or both. If the loss was less than $1,000, the potential penalties for malicious destruction of property are 180 days in jail, $1,000 fine, or both.
Effect on Family and Friends
In many cases law enforcement will seek to execute search warrants on individual’s homes or other locations where they are known to reside, to search for evidence. When individuals are arrested for burglary there is certainly some chance, particularly if they were arrested later on and not right after the burglary, that the government will find evidence tying that individual to the burglary. In that situation, they can expect to see a search warrant on that individual’s home and cars, if they own any.
An individual’s family should be aware that law enforcement is likely to come search through the belongings of the defendant. If the defendant lives with them, it includes whatever the other household members have. They are also going to be asking questions of any family or friends, because law enforcement wants to get all of the information possible and so they want to find out if anybody knows anything about this, did this individual admit to anything, and did he plan this out with anybody? They are going to be asking a lot of questions.
Benefit of a DC Burglary Lawyer
It is beneficial when a person has a burglary lawyer in DC by their side every step of the way throughout their criminal case. The lawyer can negotiate with prosecutors, investigate potential defenses, and begin to develop a trial strategy for the case. They can also help you run through your options when it comes to making a plea, advising you on what options are most beneficial to you. To learn more call and schedule a consultation today.