Grand Theft

The Morris Law Firm, P.A. aggressively represents individuals and corporations accused of white collar crime theft related offenses. Our experience with investigating and prosecuting complex economic crimes allows our clients to access valuable insight into how crimes are investigated, charged, and interpreted by law enforcement and the prosecuting agency.

Grand theft is a distinct term that essentially sets the degree of rigorousness based upon the worth of the assets that are stolen. Any assets taken that convey a value of more than $300 can be considered grand theft in certain conditions and the classification of this offense is a felony in the third degree, punishable by up to five years in prison.

St. Petersburg Grand Theft Lawyer

There are fluctuating degrees of theft in according to the Florida legislature. A common circumstance amongst theft-related charges is that severe penalties will follow a conviction. If you have been detained and convicted of a theft-related offense in Florida, contact The Morris Law Firm for an immediate consultation.

Grand Theft vs. Petit Theft

When the value of the stolen property does not surpass the indicated dollar amount, the offense is considered petit theft. The law in all jurisdictions draws a legal division between petit and grand theft. petit theft is a misdemeanor crime that results in maximum fine obligations and is punishable by no more than one year of incarceration. Most states consider grand theft a felony crime that carries the chance of a harsher penalty. The specific sentence for the felony crime of grand theft will frequently be contingent on the applicable state laws and the type of theft.

Degrees of Grand Theft

Many jurisdictions categorize grand theft crimes by degrees which specify the severity of the illegal act. The degree of grand theft is often established by the value amount of the property that was stolen.

Examples of Grand Theft

There are many misdeeds which can be reflected as grand theft. They include:

• Shoplifting – defined as taking property, goods, or services from a place of business – can be reflected as grand theft if the price of the embezzled goods surpasses the indicated dollar amount.
• Automobile theft is also considered grand theft as the value of most motor vehicles surpasses the value limit attributed to petit theft.
• The taking of a firearm is reflected as grand theft and may carry a punishment of harsher penalties than grand theft of other goods similarly valued. The bylaws for grand theft of a firearm are often severe due to the type of assets stolen rather than the value of the property.

1st Degree Grand Theft

If the lifted assets are appreciated at $100,000 plus, the defendant will then be convicted of 1st-degree grand theft, which is a 1st-degree felony conviction. 1st-degree felonies are punishable by maximum punishment of thirty years prison time and substantial fines worth up to $10,000.

2nd Degree Grand Theft

If the lifted assets are appreciated between $20,000 and $99,999, the defendant will then be convicted of 2nd-degree grand theft, which is a 2nd-degree felony conviction. 2nd-degree felonies are punishable by maximum penalty of fifth-teen year’s prison time and substantial fines worth of up to $10,000.

3rd Degree Grand Theft

If the lifted assets are appreciated between $300 and $19,999, the defendant will then be convicted of 3rd-degree grand theft, which is a 3rd-degree felony conviction. Charges of third-degree grand theft furthermore apply if the lifted properties are weapons, automobiles, commercially farmed animals, fire extinguishers, 2,000 or more pieces of fruit, street stop signs, construction signage, or anhydrous ammonia. A 3rd-degree felony is punishable by a maximum of 5 years jail time and a substantial $5,000 fine.

The Morris Law Firm, P.A. | Diversion

If the proof is strong against the offender, The Morris Law Firm is advising him or her of their possible solutions. In some cases, Attorney Melinda Morris can negotiate a plea agreement with the prosecution or direct a qualified client to a diversion program or pretrial intervention. If the offender effectively concludes this diversion program or pretrial intervention, the state will nolle prosse the client’s case and the offender will not have a grand theft charge on their criminal record. If individuals fail to effectively complete the program, they face the original consequences of jail time and fines. The same consequences are also the same for violation of probation. An experienced lawyer can help offenders avoid being over-charged or over-penalized for a crime. For a criminal defense lawyer that is sure to be effective, contact St. Petersburg grand theft attorney, Melinda Morris today. The Morris Law Firm will aggressively defend you.

Theft, Robbery, and related crimes

§812.014 Theft.–

1. A person commits theft if he or she knowingly obtains or uses, or endeavors to obtain or to use, the property of another with intent to, either temporarily or permanently:
2. Deprive the other person of a right to the property or a benefit from the property.
3. Appropriate the property to his or her own use or to the use of any person not entitled to the use of the property.
4. 1. If the property stolen is valued at $100,000 or more or is a semi trailer that was deployed by a law enforcement officer; or,
5. If the property stolen is cargo valued at $50,000 or more that has entered the stream of interstate or intrastate commerce from the shipper’s loading platform to the consignee’s receiving dock; or
6. If the offender commits any grand theft and:
7. In the course of committing the offense the offender uses a motor vehicle as an instrumentality, other than merely as a getaway vehicle, to assist in committing the offense and thereby damages the real property of another; or
8. In the course of committing the offense the offender causes damage to the real or personal property of another in excess of $1,000, the offender commits grand theft in the first degree, punishable as a felony of the first degree, as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
9. 1. If the property stolen is valued at $20,000 or more, but less than $100,000;
10. The property stolen is cargo valued at less than $50,000 that has entered the stream of interstate or intrastate commerce from the shipper’s loading platform to the consignee’s receiving dock;
11. The property stolen is emergency medical equipment, valued at $300 or more, that is taken from a facility licensed under chapter 395 or from an aircraft or vehicle permitted under chapter 401; or
12. The property stolen is law enforcement equipment, valued at $300 or more, that is taken from an authorized emergency vehicle, as defined in s. 316.003,the offender commits grand theft in the second degree, punishable as a felony of the second degree, as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. Emergency medical equipment means mechanical or electronic apparatus used to provide emergency services and care as defined in s. 395.002(9) or to treat medical emergencies. Law enforcement equipment means any property, device, or apparatus used by any law enforcement officer as defined in s. 943.10 in the officer’s official business. However, if the property is stolen within a county that is subject to a state of emergency declared by the Governor under chapter 252, the theft is committed after the declaration of emergency is made, and the perpetration of the theft is facilitated by conditions arising from the emergency, the theft is a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. As used in this paragraph, the term “conditions arising from the emergency” means civil unrest, power outages, curfews, voluntary or mandatory evacuations, or a reduction in the presence of or response time for first responders or homeland security personnel. For purposes of sentencing under chapter 921, a felony offense that is reclassified under this paragraph is ranked one level above the ranking under s. 921.0022 or s. 921.0023 of the offense committed.
13. It is grand theft of the third degree and a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, if the property stolen is:
14. Valued at $300 or more, but less than $5,000.
15. Valued at $5,000 or more, but less than $10,000.
16. Valued at $10,000 or more, but less than $20,000.
17. A will, codicil, or other testamentary instrument.
18. A firearm.
19. A motor vehicle, except as provided in paragraph (a).
20. Any commercially farmed animal, including any animal of the equine, bovine, or swine class, or other grazing animal, and including aquaculture species raised at a certified aquaculture facility. If the property stolen is aquaculture species raised at a certified aquaculture facility, then a $10,000 fine shall be imposed.
21. Any fire extinguisher.
22. Any amount of citrus fruit consisting of 2,000 or more individual pieces of fruit.
23. Taken from a designated construction site identified by the posting of a sign as provided for in s. 810.09(2)(d).
24. Any stop sign.
25. Anhydrous ammonia.

However, if the property is stolen within a county that is subject to a state of emergency declared by the Governor under chapter 252, the property is stolen after the declaration of emergency is made, and the perpetration of the theft is facilitated by conditions arising from the emergency, the offender commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, if the property is valued at $5,000 or more, but less than $10,000, as provided under subparagraph 2., or if the property is valued at $10,000 or more, but less than $20,000, as provided under subparagraph 3. As used in this paragraph, the term “conditions arising from the emergency” means civil unrest, power outages, curfews, voluntary or mandatory evacuations, or a reduction in the presence of or the response time for first responders or homeland security personnel. For purposes of sentencing under chapter 921, a felony offense that is reclassified under this paragraph is ranked one level above the ranking under s. 921.0022 or s. 921.0023 of the offense committed.

1. It is grand theft of the third degree and a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, if the property stolen is valued at $100 or more, but less than $300, and is taken from a dwelling as defined in s. 810.011(2) or from the unenclosed curtilage of a dwelling pursuant to s. 810.09(1).
2. Except as provided in paragraph (d), if the property stolen is valued at $100 or more, but less than $300, the offender commits petit theft of the first degree, punishable as a misdemeanor of the first degree, as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
   1. a. Theft of any property not specified in subsection (2) is petit theft of the second degree and a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, and as provided in subsection (5), as applicable.
   2. b. A person who commits petit theft and who has previously been convicted of any theft commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
   3. A person who commits petit theft and who has previously been convicted two or more times of any theft commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
   4. 1. Every judgment of guilty or not guilty of a petit theft shall be in writing, signed by the judge, and recorded by the clerk of the circuit court. The judge shall cause to be affixed to every such written judgment of guilty of petit theft, in open court and in the presence of such judge, the fingerprints of the defendant against whom such judgment is rendered. Such fingerprints shall be affixed beneath the judge’s signature to such judgment. Beneath such fingerprints shall be appended a certificate to the following effect:

Morris Law Firm, P.A. | White-Collar Crime | Grand Theft

Morris Law Firm, P.A. represents clients as the white collar crime attorney / white collar crime lawyer throughout Pinellas County and the entire Tampa Bay, FL area (St. Petersburg, Tampa, Hillsborough, Pasco, Manatee, Sarasota). Grand Theft takes place in various forms. These types of charges are very severe. The involvement of the state government and possibly the FBI makes it even harder to follow without a guide. Attorney Melinda Morris has years of practical and functional knowledge when it comes to white-collar crimes, such as grand theft in St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Pinellas County.

Contact St. Petersburg’s white-collar attorney for more information about your grand theft case throughout the Tampa Bay area including Tampa, Clearwater, Bartow, New Port Richey, Dade City, Plant City, including the counties of Hillsborough, Polk, Pasco, and Pinellas or the surrounding areas. 

Contact Attorney Melinda Morris with The Morris Law Firm, P.A. at (727) 592-5885 to get assistance with your legal needs related to grand theft.