Defense Against Property Crimes in Marietta

Defend Your Rights with a Marietta Criminal Lawyer

Property crimes are grouped together under state law within Chapter 7 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, and they include burglary, criminal trespass, arson and the use of bombs and explosives. According to statistics provided by the Department of Juvenile Justice, property crimes are by far the most common type of juvenile crime in our state, accounting for fully one third of all reported offenses in 2011.

They are also prevalent among adult offenders, with 95,282 instances of burglary and arson combined last year throughout the state, including 4,816 burglaries in Cobb County alone. Whether you have personally been accused or if your child has been arrested and charged with a property crime, it is vital that you take action now to address the situation and begin working on a defense with a Marietta criminal defense attorney.

Penalties for Property Crimes

The sentence you could receive if convicted for a property crime in Marietta depends on the severity of the offense and whether it is a misdemeanor or a felony. For example, littering is a misdemeanor, as is criminal trespass-this type of offense is punishable by up to one year in county jail. Other property crimes are charged as felonies, such as arson in the first degree, which carries a 20 year prison sentence and a $50,000 fine, and burglary which carries the same sentence in prison.