In Georgia, theft by deception occurs when you take someone else’s property through deceptive means, with the purpose of intentionally depriving that person of his or her own property. Likewise, if you knowingly accept payment for services that won’t be rendered, you can be charged with theft by deception. The same goes for selling property with liens to someone without disclosing the property claims.If you are charged with theft by deception, you will face up to 15 years in prison. You may also lose your civil rights, including the right to vote and the right to possess a firearm. In addition, a felony conviction stays on your record and can make it very difficult to get or keep a job.
If you have been charged with theft by deception, it is important to work with a lawyer who can protect your interests and assert your rights. We fight for the rights of individuals charged with theft and other criminal offenses and are prepared to help you, too.
Even if you have done nothing wrong, you need an experienced and competent defense attorney who knows Georgia’s theft laws.
Typically considered a “white collar crime,” embezzlement occurs when a person entrusted with the monitoring or management of someone else’s assets deliberately appropriates them for their own financial gain. There are a variety of circumstances that can result in embezzlement charges, and a conviction can carry fines and possible prison terms of one to 10 years.
Knowingly receiving, disposing of or retaining property that has been stolen can result in you being charged with theft by receiving. Even if you weren’t certain, but had reason to believe the property was stolen, you may have committed theft by receiving according to Georgia law.
In the state of Georgia, stalking is a serious crime. What appears to be harmless behavior can deprive you of your freedom even if the alleged victim is a person you love or care for.
If you or a loved one is being charged with or investigated for burglary charges in Georgia, you need the attention and assistance of a qualified, experienced criminal defense attorney who can protect your rights and freedom. With the severity of sentencing that accompanies an Atlanta burglary charge, attorneys dedicated to protecting you are a necessity.
There are severe consequences for homicide, murder or manslaughter charges in Georgia. If you are charged with one of these violent crimes, you could be facing life imprisonment or possibly the death penalty. You need the legal representation of an experienced, skilled and aggressive Georgia attorney. We are committed to protecting the rights of the accused in all types of Georgia criminal cases, including murder, homicide and manslaughter.
11. If you are the alleged victim of a crime and you call the police to investigate that crime, you can still be accused of some other criminal offense if they see evidence of it in plain view. You will never know what the police have in their file against you, and you will never know your actual potential criminal exposure. When you interact with a police officer, you may be providing evidence to them that may cause them to charge you with a crime that is not even under consideration against you. This is commonly referred to as the plain view doctrine. When you invite the police into your life or home, you are subject to what they see, and you are at risk therein. Many clients who let police into their home, and in plain view, the police will see evidence of another crime, often something drug-related. When the police see rolling papers or evidence of drug use, they will look to investigate further. As a result, inviting the police into your home can cause you to be charged with a crime, even if you are reporting that you are the victim of some other crime.
9. Even if a suspect is guilty and wants to confess, there may be other factors, which would justify a lesser charge. Sometimes, the police do not have as much evidence as it may appear. The police may suggest you committed the most severe crime possible when the evidence does not support it. The suspect may have committed a lesser grade of the same offense or some other offense altogether. It is important to wait to speak to an attorney before admitting any information.
7. Even if you are innocent and only tell the truth and do not tell the police anything incriminating and the entire interview is videotaped, your answers can still be used to crucify you if the police have any evidence, even mistaken or unreliable evidence that any of your statements are false. You never know what information the police have or what is in their file against you. Furthermore, you can never be certain what the police are investigating you for. Any evidence that makes it seem that your testimony is false, even when it is not, can be used to make you appear unreliable. If the witness was confused or had inadequate information, they will still seem more credible than you if you had told the police something contrary to what a witness says.
5. Even if you are innocent and only tell the truth and do not tell the police anything incriminating, there is still a grave chance that your answers can be used to crucify you if the police do not recall your testimony with 100% accuracy. Police officers do not always write every word down, yet they are then called upon to remember what someone said in a police interview. Months or years later, they are called upon to testify at trial where they are forced to remember precisely what you said. Mistakes can easily be made, and these mistakes can cost you the outcome of the trial, even though you were honest from the beginning.