Loosely defined, robbery refers to taking property that belongs to someone else against their will by either making them afraid or using force. In the state of California, this type of theft crime is a felony. As a result, it’s essential that you work with a theft defense attorney who has experience with the best options to defend. Read on to learn more about these charges and then contact Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055 for a free consultation.

The prosecution must prove numerous facts to earn a conviction

While we know that any criminal charges are frightening, trust us when we say that the prosecution has their work cut out for them. In order for them to earn a conviction, they must prove that the property in question didn’t belong to you, that it belonged to someone else, that it was in their possession, that the property was taken against the will of the person who owned it, that fear or force was used to get the property, and that your intention was to get the property permanently – or at least long enough to deny the owner the use of it.

This is a long list of things that must be proven. However, prosecutors are certainly experienced in doing so. The most important thing for you to do right now is to reach out to a criminal defense attorney who can immediately help you find the best defense for your case.

Robbery sentences vary based on the degree of the robbery

First degree robbery is the most severe type of robbery. In order to be charged with first degree robbery, the incident in question must have occurred on public transportation, or in a taxi, or it must have taken place in a structure that was in habituated, or it must have occurred around an ATM after the victim used an ATM.

A conviction of first degree robbery can be as long as nine years in prison and fines of up $10,000. A second degree conviction comes with a prison sentence of as long as five years and fines once again of as much as $10,000. Keep in mind that the counts that a person will be charged with refers not to the number of pieces of property they took, but to the number of people involved in the robbery.

Legal defense options

Remember that robbery is a violent crime, and as a result it counts as a strike in California’s three strikes rule. For this and other reasons, you need the best possible legal defense. This may include proving that you didn’t use force or fear, that you believed you had a right to the property, or that you returned the property right away.

We may also argue that you weren’t the one who committed the robbery either because the accusation was entirely false or because, while the robbery did take place, you weren’t the one who did it. The right way to defend you will vary based on the circumstances of your case and the evidence against you. To learn more about your rights and your options, reach out to Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055 for a free consultation.