Ocean County Criminal Lawyer: Receiving Stolen Property
The Law Offices of John F. Marshall is a criminal defense firm that is equipped with the most experienced and aggressive attorneys in the state of New Jersey. The lawyers at our firm have successfully defended all types of theft charges, including Receiving Stolen Property. We have defended this charge for clients throughout the State, including Ocean County. With almost 60 years of combined legal experience, our attorneys have the expertise to deal with all theft charges and are dedicated to producing the best results. Our attorneys are former prosecutors who have worked in over 20 municipalities in Ocean County and have the unique experience and knowledge to have your Receiving Stolen Property charge reduced or dropped entirely. If you are facing a Receiving Stolen Property charge in Ocean County, contact our office immediately. We will dedicate all of our time and energy to providing you with a thorough and effective defense.
Receiving Stolen Property in Ocean County
An individual can be charged with Receiving Stolen Property under N.J.S.A. 2C:20-7, if he or she knowingly receives or transfers into the State any movable property belonging to another person, knowing or believing that the property has been stolen. There will be a presumption that an individual had the required knowledge that the property was stolen in four circumstances: (1) if he or she is in possession or control of two or more items of stolen property on two or more separate incidences; or (2) if he or she has received stolen property at another time within the year preceding the offense charged; or (3) if he or she is a person in the business of buying or selling property and receives this property without having ascertained by reasonable inquiry that it was legitimately owned; or (4) he or she is found in possession of two or more “defaced access devices.” Hence, you can be charged with Receiving Stolen Property if a friend gives you a television, describing it as “hot” or received with a “five finger discount.” A conviction under N.J.S.A. 2C:20-7 depends on the actor’s “knowledge” of whether the property is stolen. Therefore, you can avoid a conviction under this statute if you can prove that, at the time of the offense, you had no knowledge that the property was in fact stolen. An effective defense attorney can reinforce this lack of knowledge and develop aggressive defense strategies to dismiss this charge. For an additional resource, you can review the New Jersey Model Jury Charge for Receiving Stolen Property that lays out the instructions which would be provided to jurors and which is located at http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/charges/jury/theft008.htm. An individual charged under the Receiving Stolen Property statute will be sentenced according to the value of the received item:
(1) If a person receives stolen property with a value of $75,000 or more, it is a second degree offense, carrying a penalty of 5-10 years in prison.
(2) If a person receives stolen property with a value of at least $500 but less than $75,000, it is a third degree offense, carrying a penalty of up to 5 years in prison.
(3) If a person receives stolen property with a value of at least $200 but less than $500, it is a fourth degree offense, carrying a penalty of up to 18 months jail time.
(4) If a person receives stolen property with a value of under $200, it is a disorderly persons offense, carrying a penalty of up to 6 months jail time.
Receiving Stolen Property is an offense taken very seriously in Ocean County and it can result in very serious penalties. For these reasons, it is absolutely necessary to obtain a criminal defense attorney who is familiar with the local courts and can provide you with the knowledge you need to defend this charge. The attorneys at the Law Offices of John F. Marshall understand that you can be charged with Receiving Stolen Property when you lacked the requisite element of knowledge. Our lawyers are dedicated to personal service and efficiency and will assure you a winning legal strategy. If you or someone you know has been charged with Receiving Stolen Property in Ocean County, you should speak with a lawyer from our office who can address any concerns you have. Our legal team consists of former a prosecutor, Thomas Campo, who was a prosecutor in a majority of the towns in Ocean County, including Barnegat, Beach Haven, Harvey Cedars, Brick Town, Point Pleasant Beach, and Ship Bottom. Call us for FREE at 1-877-450-8301 and discuss your case with a qualified attorney.
