Stealing Charges in Moline Acres, MO - for as little as $450

Did you recently receive a ticket for stealing or theft in Moline Acres, MO (or from somewhere else in the surrounding St. Louis area)? If so, do you know what the potential sentence for such a crime is? Did you know that there is a felony and misdemeanor level for stealing charges? Do you know what separates the two? Was the value of the allegedly stolen goods more or less than $500? Are you contemplating a plea of guilty? If so, do you fully understand what all the long term consequences of that decision are? Do you know about all the benefits one receives by hiring an experienced attorney to handle the matter for you?

If you are not too sure about how to answer most of these questions, then it is definitely time to speak with a good Moline Acres MO stealing and theft attorney!! Why? Below are a few reasons:

1. An experienced attorney can review all of the facts of your case to see if there are any defenses that might be asserted on your behalf (in an attempt to get the charges dropped)
2. A lawyer can work closely with the local prosecutor to possibly work out a deal in which the charges are reduced to a lesser offense (to something like “littering,” which is an infraction that does not even show up on your permanent record)
3. A good attorney can at the very least work out an SIS on your behalf (which includes a period of probation, after which the charges drop off altogether, so long as you do not get into any other trouble during the probationary period)
4. A decent lawyer can also attend most of the required courthouse hearings on your behalf (so that you do not even have to show up)

But if you choose to plead guilty, then you should know about the consequences.

As of January 1, 2017, the following laws regarding stealing / theft / shoplifting went into effect:

1. If you are caught with goods valuing less than $150, and you have had no prior stealing-related charges, it is a Class D Misdemeanor
2. If you are caught with goods valuing between $150 - $750, it is a Class A Misdemeanor
3. If you are caught stealing an animal; or if you have been previously found guilty of three 93) stealing-related cases within ten (10) years of the present case, it is a Class E Felony
4. If you are caught with goods valuing between $750 - $25,000, it is a Class D Felony
5. If you are caught with goods valuing $25,000 or more, it is a Class C Felony

In addition, you would also have to deal with a criminal conviction on your record, which can have a horrible effect on your ability to get a good job or apartment.

The affordable St. Louis stealing defense attorneys at The Bankruptcy Company, have been helping people with their theft charges for over ten (10) years. Our goal is to make sure that the charges leveled against you do not stay on your permanent record, and do any lasting damage. And we want to do all of this at an affordable price. The fees for a typical shoplifting case start at $450. But the initial consultation to discuss your legal issues is free of charge. So contact us today!!

We have two main locations: in the Central West End of St. Louis, at 1 North Taylor (on the corner of Taylor and Laclede), 63108; and in the Twin Cities of Festus / Crystal City, at 1000 Truman Blvd (Highway 61/67), 63019. The initial consultation is free of charge. So contact us today to learn more!!