Burglary is aggressively prosecuted and punished, potentially resulting in a felony conviction. If you are facing charges, you should seek immediate legal assistance from a Newnan burglary lawyer.
Scheduling a consultation with an experienced theft defense attorney is an essential step in legal cases like this. Acting quickly and decisively can determine your freedom and the outcome of your case.
Under the Official Code of Georgia Annotated § 16-7-1, burglary is the breaking and entering of a structure intending to commit a felony or a theft therein. Whether the charges are considered first, second, degree burglary depends on the structure type and the extent of the crime.
A person engages in first-degree burglary if they enter an occupied or unoccupied structure, building, or other construction designed for use as a dwelling without permission and with the intent to commit a felony or a theft inside of that dwelling. In short, first-degree burglary involves breaking into the home or living space of another person with hopes to commit a felony or a theft.
Second-degree burglary involves breaking into structures are not designed or intended as the home or dwelling place of another person. These can be the same types of structures listed above, just with a different intended use, it could also be a flat cars, trailer, or containers on railroad property. Determining whether someone is charged as a first or second-degree can be complicated and necessitate the assistance of a knowledgeable burglary attorney in Newnan. The charge attached to the underlying crime makes a significant difference in the potential penalties should the accused party be convicted.
In Newnan, burglary charges carry stiff penalties and you need to meet with a skilled defense attorney to help prepare to defend against the charges. Even lesser degree crimes involving unoccupied buildings carry the potential for years in the prison system.
Therefore, a person convicted of a burglary in the first degree faces a potential felony, and a sentence of imprisonment lasts between one to 20 years. The accused party can be charged with a felony if convicted of such an offense for the second time and faces a sentence between two and 20 years in prison. If convicted of first-degree burglary for the third time, then the accused faces up to twenty-five years in prison.
Additionally, burglary in the second degree is classified as a felony and carries a prison sentence between one and five years. Any additional or convictions in the second-degree can increase the maximum prison sentence of eight years.
Regardless of the severity of the charge, a conviction for burglary carries severe consequences, including prison time. Outside of the legal ramifications, the impact on your life from the time lost in prison, tainted criminal record, and damage to your reputation can be stifling.
A charge is merely an accusation, not a conviction. If you want the chance to improve the outcome of your case, contact a well-versed Newnan burglary lawyer as soon as possible.
Call our law office today and schedule a consultation to discuss your charges and how best to proceed. Do not delay while the prosecutor steadily gathers evidence and builds a case against you. Call today and fight the charges against you.
J. Ryan Brown Law, LLC
J. Ryan Brown Law, LLC
