NYC Theft Crimes Lawyers

The New York criminal defense attorneys of Norman Spencer & Associates PC provide aggressive and competent defense to clients accused of various theft crimes in criminal courts in the New York City area. Most  theft criminal defendants are just regular folks, first time offenders, accused of theft of relatively minor amounts. While some our clients intentionally broke the law, others have strayed inadvertently. Whatever your situation is, we will work hard to minimize your liability and help you start with a clean slate.

Most New York theft crimes that we deal with are the following:

• Larceny
• Embezzlement
• Stealing from Employers
• Credit Card Theft and Fraud
• Welfare Fraud
• Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fraud
• NYC Housing Authority Fraud
• Insurance Fraud
• Medicaid Fraud
• Tax Fraud

Whether you would benefit from a carefully negotiated plea bargain or going to trial, we will provide you with serious defense against any New York theft accusation. Our New York City theft defense attorneys have successfully represented hundreds of NYC clients in various theft cases.

Here are some of our recent case results in this area:

• Defended a bookkeeper accused of stealing close to $250,000 from his employer over the course of 4 years. We negotiated a plea deal that guaranteed the client the sentence of probation with structured re-payment plan.
• Represented hundreds of clients accused of public benefits fraud, many of them accused of grand larceny.
• Successfully represented an NYC correction officer charged with defrauding the NYC Public Housing and stealing over $30,000. The client was sentenced to a conditional discharge.
• Represented an NYPD officer arrested for credit card fraud in a massive Queens identity theft scheme. Our client was facing years in prison but we successfully negotiated a plea deal with the term of probation.
• Represented a client accused by his employer of stealing expensive merchandize. Besides jail sentence, the client was facing deportation. We provided aggressive defense and convinced the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office that the employer fabricated evidence, resulting in all charges being dismissed.

While the results of each case could be different, one thing never changes at our office you will find the true advocates who will not rest until your case is over to your best benefit. Call us today for a confidential consultation for any New York City criminal theft related matter.

New York Petit Larceny Lawyers – Shoplifting Defense Attorneys

Larceny is another name for theft, and petit larceny is any kind of theft that the state considers “small” as opposed to other theft types. However, even small cases of theft of any kind are subject to multiple consequences. A person who is accused of petit larceny may have to pay fines and spend time in jail. Additionally, that person will have difficulty obtaining a job in the future because of the sheer dishonesty of theft. A petit larceny crime can affect a person for decades. Therefore, a defendant’s best bet is to try to fight the charge in any way possible.
SEE MORE: WHAT HAPPENS IF I’M ARRESTED IN NYC FOR SHOPLIFTING

Example of Petite Larceny

The most common example of petite larceny is shoplifting. The crime of shoplifting occurs when a person walks into a store and takes something that belongs to the merchant. The stolen item can be something such as a pair of shoes, a computer or a bottle of mouthwash. The crime will qualify as petit larceny as long as the retail value of the items do not go over $1,000. Thievery of more than $1,000 worth of goods or services would be considered grand larceny. Petit larceny is a misdemeanor whereas grand larceny is a felony offense.

Another incident that the authorities may consider as petit larceny is writing a bad check to receive something from a store or an individual. Most retail locations have updated systems and equipment that they can use to verify the validity of a check. However, some smaller locations may not have the technology, and a person can commit petit larceny on them. Petit larceny can exist in many different forms. The value of the property determines the penalties that the person faces. A person who is accused of such a crime will want to have an appropriate defense.

Penalties for Petit Larceny

Petit larceny is classified as a Class A misdemeanor, which makes its consequences far less severe those of a crime of theft of something with a value of more than $1,000 are. A judge may order a person who is convicted of petit larceny to spend up to one year in prison. In addition to prison time, the person may have to pay a fine of up to $1,000. Furthermore, the person or the store may want to receive personal restitution for items that were stolen from a home or place of business.

How an Attorney Can Help for a Petit Larceny Charge

An attorney can assist a person who is accused of petit larceny. First, the attorney may be able to postpone the court case to give the defendant time to develop a good defense. A skilled defense attorney can have a case dismissed by finding holes in such a case. The prosecution must prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the accused person is guilty of petit larceny. That means that without a witness or proof of such from a surveillance camera, the judge may throw out the case. Furthermore, the lawyer can challenge the arresting officer and ensure that he or she followed proper protocol in making the arrest.

Norman Spencer & Associates PC consists of several attorneys who are no strangers to winning. They have helped hundreds of people in petit and grand larceny cases. The firm has been assisting its clients in all types of criminal cases from arrest to trials for years, making it a stable and trustworthy firm. The lawyers at the firm will provide a prospective client with a free case evaluation to determine how they can help.