larceny
Returning allegedly stolen property does not guarantee a theft acquittal
Returning allegedly stolen property is not guaranteed to avoid a theft conviction. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that doing so can reduce the harm to a Virginia criminal defendant, but does not by itself negate the prosecutor's ability to prove the theft element...
Rental non-return is a Virginia theft offense, says Fairfax criminal lawyer
Rental non-return is a Virginia theft offense, says Fairfax criminal lawyer Rental non-return risks a Virginia theft prosecution. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that wrongful late return or non-return of rented property for over thirty days is a theft offense. Specifically: “Whenever any...
False pretenses is a Virginia theft offense involving intent to defraud
False pretenses is a type of Virginia larceny, says Fairfax criminal lawyer False pretenses (FP) is a type of Virginia theft crime. As a Fairfax criminal lawyer, I know that the crime of FP means: ” If any person obtain, by any [FP] or token,...
Multiple theft count aggregation – Virginia criminal lawyer
Multiple theft convictions convictions can prove a bigger headache for criminal defendants than one larceny conviction. As a Virginia criminal lawyer, I know the scarlet letter represented by even one theft conviction and the need to fully fight such prosecutions.
Theft prosecutions require proof of date and value- Fairfax criminal lawyer
Theft prosecutions need to be defended tooth and nail, says Fairfax criminal lawyer Theft prosecutions cannot be obtained in Virginia without proof beyond a reasonable doubt of the date of the crime and that the item(s) allegedly stolen had at least some value. Wright v....
Virginia criminal defense- The risk of conviction for mere possession of recently stolen property
In Virginia, possession of recently stolen property risks a conviction for stealing that property: “[P]roof of possession of recently stolen goods establishes a prima facie case that the defendant received [the stolen goods] with guilty knowledge, [and] the burden is cast upon him to go...
A felony theft conviction is not possible without proof of value
In Virginia, the felony theft threshold is $200. Setting aside the injustice of such a low threshold for distinguishing between facing up to a year in jail for misdemeanor theft and twenty years for felony theft, the prosecutor must prove that $200 value threshold beyond...