Suffolk County Theft Lawyer: Protecting Your Rights in Theft Cases

If you’re facing theft charges in Suffolk County, Hochhauser Criminal & DWI Defense. can provide experienced legal guidance. Learn how our Suffolk County theft lawyer can help protect your rights and guide you toward the best possible outcome.

Why You Need a Suffolk County Theft Attorney

If you’ve been charged with theft in Suffolk County, New York, it is natural to feel anxious about the possibility of incarceration. The truth is you could be looking at serious penalties if you get convicted, so your best bet would be to defend yourself and fight to reduce the chances of a negative outcome at the end of your trial.

Theft in New York isn’t just one simple crime. It is a spectrum of different offenses with varying degrees of severity. Understanding the nature of your specific theft charge is, therefore, paramount to establishing a solid defense and preventing a conviction.

The information provided here can help enhance your understanding of the law on theft offenses as applicable in New York but might not be sufficient to help you secure a discharge and acquittal. You need professional help from a skilled theft lawyer who can formulate a working defense strategy tailored to your specific charge and circumstances.

An experienced theft lawyer in this jurisdiction understands the intricacies of the state’s criminal laws and can help you navigate the criminal justice system. Having a skilled defense attorney on your side could mean the difference between a conviction and an acquittal or even between a harsh and more lenient sentence. It is safe to say that you shouldn’t go through your trial without one.

Founded by a former prosecutor, Richard Hochhauser, DWI & Criminal Lawyer is no stranger to the high-stakes environment of criminal defense. We understand that your future is at risk and are committed to providing you with passionate and aggressive representation, reflecting our core belief that you are innocent until proven guilty.

Read on to find out more about Suffolk County theft offenses and specific ways our Suffolk County theft attorney can help.

Theft in Suffolk County: Understanding the Basics

Under New York state law, theft is formally known as larceny. The offense occurs when a person wrongly takes, obtains, or withholds another’s property while intending to deprive the owner of the property permanently or temporarily.

Other than the simple act of stealing, larceny may occur in several different ways, including the following

• By embezzlement
• By obtaining property under false pretenses
• By acquiring lost property without taking reasonable steps to ensure the property is returned to the owner
• By extortion.

Classification of Theft Offenses and Penalties

The crime of larceny is organized into different categories in order of severity :

Petit Larceny

Petit larceny involves stealing property (anything of value) and is the least severe category of theft offenses.

It is a Class A misdemeanor and may be punished by imprisonment for up to a year.

Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree

Grand larceny in the fourth degree is an elevated form of larceny and occurs in certain specific circumstances, including when the property that is stolen

• Exceeds $1000 dollars in value
• Is a public record
• Consists of secret science-related material
• Is a credit or debit card
• Was taken directly from the person or body of another
• Is a firearm, rifle, or shotgun.

Grand larceny in the fourth degree is a Class E felony. The primary punishment for this class of offense is imprisonment for between one and four years.

Grand Larceny in the Third Degree

Grand larceny in the third degree occurs when a person steals:

• Property worth over $3000
• An automated teller machine (ATM) or the contents of such a machine.

This offense is a Class D felony and is punishable by imprisonment for up to seven years.

Grand Larceny in the Second Degree

This category of grand larceny occurs when

• A person steals property worth over $50,000
• The stolen property was obtained by extortion regardless of its value.

This offense is a Class C felony and is primarily punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen years.

Grand Larceny in the First Degree

First-degree grand larceny occurs when a person steals property worth over a million dollars.

This offense is a Class B felony and may be punished by up to 25 years imprisonment.

Depending on the circumstances, the judge in a larceny case may also impose other penalties, such as fines or probation as a standalone sentence (for misdemeanors) or in addition to imprisonment. But even if you manage to walk away with the lightest sentence possible, having a criminal record could make the rest of your life difficult.

Many ex-convicts have trouble getting a job or a good place to work because of the societal stigma associated with their status. As such, you must fight hard to avoid a conviction so you don’t have to deal with such issues in the future.

How Our Suffolk County Theft Lawyer Can Help

Dealing with a theft or larceny charge can be difficult, especially because of the uncertainty it brings. But you don’t need to go through this challenge alone. Our Suffolk County theft lawyer at Richard Hochhauser, DWI & Criminal Lawyer, can provide you with top-notch legal representation and will not hesitate to assert or defend your rights at every stage of your case from the time of your arrest and throughout the court trial.

Here are some of the specific ways we can help;

• During your trial, you may need to make serious decisions that could affect the outcome of your case. Our Suffolk County theft attorney can provide quality legal counsel to help you make informed choices and navigate the criminal justice system without jeopardizing your case.
• Even though you’ve been accused of a crime, you still have rights as an individual. We are always alert to issues or circumstances that could affect our clients’ rights and will do all we can to safeguard them at all times.
• As we work to build a formidable defense, we are prepared to go over every detail of your case with a fine-toothed comb. With the information we gather, we can challenge the prosecution’s evidence against you to make it difficult for them to obtain a conviction.
• Not all criminal cases go to trial. Sometimes, the prosecution may offer the defendant a plea deal, which would terminate the case without going to trial. Taking a plea deal is serious, and though it might seem like the easy way out, it could have long-term consequences since you’ll essentially be admitting guilt. Our experienced criminal defense attorney can help determine if a plea deal benefits you depending on your circumstances and help negotiate better terms if necessary.
• In most theft cases, the judge has the power to decide the specific sentence a defendant gets upon conviction as long as it doesn’t exceed the prescribed maximum or go below the mandatory minimum. Our experienced theft lawyer can argue your case and work to convince the judge that you deserve a lighter sentence if that is what your case requires.

Our goal in each case is to use our skills, knowledge, and extensive experience to help our clients avoid a guilty verdict as much as possible or minimize the extent of their criminal liability and sentence.

Sure, there are no guarantees. But with us, you can be at ease, knowing that we’ll go all out to fight for you and strive for the best possible outcome, depending on the circumstances.

Schedule an Appointment With Our Suffolk County Theft Attorney

A theft or larceny charge can be dangerous because of its potential impact on your future. It can be difficult to move on if you’re convicted for such an offense. You can give yourself a fighting chance by getting an experienced theft lawyer to defend you and fight passionately for your rights.

Our dedicated, proactive, and compassionate theft and criminal defense lawyer can represent you throughout your trial and work diligently to increase your chances of a successful outcome and freedom from the criminal justice system.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation. Let us discuss your case and determine the next steps toward preparing a solid defense.