Theft charges in Dallas can be classified as anything from a Class C misdemeanor to a life felony, depending on the type of theft offense allegedly committed. Regardless of the degree of offense, theft crimes can result in serious penalties and repercussions, including jail or prison sentences, fines, restitution, and a criminal record. Additionally, since theft crimes are considered crimes of moral turpitude, an individual may be refused admittance into certain colleges and graduate school programs, or they may be ineligible to be licensed in certain professions or to apply for certain occupations.
Theft in Texas is also commonly called larceny, petty theft, petit theft, grand theft, grand larceny, stealing, or robbery.
If you have been charged with a theft or larceny crime in Dallas, it is important to contact an experienced criminal defense attorney in Dallas who will make every effort to help you craft your best legal strategy.
Theft / Larceny Defense Lawyer in Irving, Dallas, Carrolton, Richardson, TX
If you have been charged with theft in Dallas, contact the Law Offices of Richard C. McConathy today at (972) 233-5700 for a consultation about your alleged offense in Irving, Dallas, Carrolton, Richardson, and surrounding areas of Dallas County, Texas. Our firm will work to potentially get your criminal charges reduced or dismissed.
Theft in Dallas
According to section 31.03 of the Texas Penal Code, an individual can be charged with theft if they unlawfully take another person’s property with the intent to deprive that person of their property.
The taking of another person’s property is unlawful if:
- The alleged offender does not have the owner’s consent;
- The property is stolen and the alleged offender took the property knowing it was stolen; or
- The alleged offender took property from law enforcement officials knowing it was stolen.
An individual who has been charged with theft in Dallas can be charged with any number of theft offenses, including:
- Conversion,
- Theft by false pretext,
- Acquisition of property by threat,
- Swindling,
- Swindling by worthless check,
- Theft by check,
- Embezzlement,
- Extortion, and
- Receiving or concealing stolen property.
It is not a defense to prosecution for theft in Dallas that:
- The offense occurred due to law enforcement deception or strategy, including using undercover officers.
- The alleged offender was provided with the facility or opportunity to commit the offense by law enforcement; or
- The alleged offender was solicited to commit the offense by law enforcement and the solicitation would encourage a person predisposed to commit the offense to actually commit the offense, but not a person not predisposed.
Dallas Theft Crime Penalties
If an individual is charged with a theft offense in Dallas, they can face a variety of punishments depending on whether the alleged offender has a previous criminal history, the method the alleged offender used to steal the property, the value of the property allegedly stolen, and the person the alleged offense was committed against.
Additionally, the penalties for theft offenses can increase to the next higher category of offense if:
- The offense was allegedly committed against an elderly person or a non-profit organization;
- The alleged offender was a public servant and the offense was committed due to their status as a public servant;
- The alleged offender was in a contractual relationship with the government at the time of the offense and the offense was committed due to the relationship; or
- The alleged offender was a Medicare provider in a contractual relationship with the government at the time of the offense and the offense was committed due to the relationship.
Class C Misdemeanor Theft Penalties in Dallas
An individual can be convicted of a Class C misdemeanor theft offense if the value of the allegedly stolen property is less than $50.
Additionally, an individual can be convicted of a Class C misdemeanor theft crime if the value of the allegedly stolen property was less than $20 and the alleged offender wrote a bad check to steal the property.
A conviction for this degree of theft offense is punishable by a fine of up to $500.
Dallas Penalties for Class B Misdemeanor Theft
An individual can be convicted of a Class B misdemeanor theft offense if the value of the allegedly stolen property is $50 or more but less than $500.
An individual can also be convicted of this degree of theft crime if the value of the allegedly stolen property was $20 or more but less than $500 and the alleged offender wrote a bad check to steal the property.
Additionally, if the amount of the allegedly stolen property is less than $50, but the alleged offender has a previous theft conviction, they can be convicted of a Class B misdemeanor theft offense.
An individual can also be convicted of this degree of offense if they allegedly stole property valued at less than $20 by writing a bad check, but they have a previous theft conviction.
A conviction for this degree of theft offense is punishable by up to 180 days in jail and/or a fine up to $2,000.
Dallas Theft / Larceny Penalties for Class A Misdemeanor Offenses
An individual can be convicted of a Class A misdemeanor theft offense if the value of the property is valued at $500 or more but less than $1,500. A conviction for this degree of theft offense can result in up to one year in jail and/or a fine up to $4,000.
State Jail Felony Theft / Larceny Penalties in Dallas
An individual can be convicted of a state jail felony if the value of the allegedly stolen property is $1,500 or more but less than $20,000.
Additionally, an alleged offender can be convicted of this degree of offense if they:
- Steal a firearm,
- Steal from a human corpse or grave, regardless of the value;
- Steal an official ballot or official carrier envelope for an election; or
- The value of the property is less than $20,000 and is any tubing, wire, or cable that consists of at least 50% of aluminum, bronze, or copper.
An individual can also be convicted of this degree of offense if they allegedly stole property valued at less than $1,500, but they have two or more previous theft convictions.
This degree of theft offense is punishable by 180 days to two years in prison and/or a fine up to $10,000.
Dallas Penalties for Felony of the Third Degree Theft
An individual can be convicted of a felony of third-degree theft offense if the value of the allegedly stolen property is $20,000 or more but less than $100,000.
Property in Texas for a third-degree felony theft can include cattle, horses, exotic livestock or fowl, sheep, swine, or goats.
This degree of theft offense is punishable by two to 10 years in prison and/or a fine up to $10,000.
Dallas Theft Penalties for Felony of the Second Degree Offenses
An individual can be convicted of a felony of second-degree theft offense if the value of the allegedly stolen property is $100,000 or more but less than $200,000. This degree of theft offense is punishable by two to 20 years in prison and/or a fine up to $10,000.
Felony of the First Degree Theft Penalties in Dallas
An individual can be convicted of a felony of the first-degree theft offense if the value of the allegedly stolen property is $200,000 or more. This degree of theft offense is punishable by five to 99 years in prison or life imprisonment and/or a fine up to $10,000.
Find A Dallas County Defense Attorney for Theft Charges | Law Offices of Richard C. McConathy
Contact Law Offices of Richard C. McConathy today for a consultation about your alleged theft offense throughout Dallas County in Texas. Richard McConathy is an experienced Dallas theft crimes attorney who will make every effort to find defenses or mitigating factors to your alleged theft crime.
Contact the Law Offices of Richard C. McConathy today at (972) 233-5700 for a consultation about your alleged offense in Irving, Dallas, Carrolton, Richardson, and surrounding areas of Dallas County, Texas. Our firm will work to potentially get your criminal charges reduced or dismissed.