Shoplifting is a common first offense, which means many people charged with this crime have no idea what will happen next. In Georgia, shoplifting can be charged as a felony, and even a first conviction can have lifelong consequences in addition to jail time and fines. Many people arrested for shoplifting in Georgia have a dizzying number of questions.
If you’ve been charged with shoplifting in Georgia, do not make the mistake of taking these charges lightly, even if it’s your first offense. And especially if you are undocumented or have yet to naturalize. Georgia police and courts take these charges very seriously, and they can be charged as misdemeanors and felonies depending on the circumstances of the arrest. If you need help fighting shoplifting charges or have a shoplifting charge on your record, don’t wait to call us.
Even a misdemeanor like shoplifting or petty theft can be upgraded to aggravated felony under immigration law. Shoplifting is considered aggravated felony if the actual sentence from the court is one year or longer of jail time, even if you don’t serve jail time due to a suspended sentence.
The legal process may move slowly after you’ve been arrested, but that doesn’t mean you can wait to start protecting yourself. If you or a family member has been arrested for a shoplifting offense, call us at 678-324-8511 or click here to discuss the particulars of your case. You deserve to go through this ordeal with a committed attorney on your team.
