Under Texas law, theft is a serious offense, with the potential for large penalties based on the value of the items that you stole. In addition to possible jail time and fines, being convicted of a theft offense can result in embarrassment, civil lawsuits and serious consequences in your personal life.
Theft can happen in a number of ways, and Texas laws have been designed to allow the state to prosecute the different types of theft.
Importantly, under Texas law, it is not required that you actually keep the goods that you stole; you only have to keep it long enough to deprive the owner of its value. If for example, you take your neighbor’s generator without permission during a power outage and return it afterward, you have deprived your neighbor of the generator’s value during the power outage. You can be charged with theft even though you returned the item.
In Texas, the punishment for theft is based on the value of the goods or services that were allegedly stolen. It ranges from a Class B misdemeanor, with a penalty of up to 180 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $4,000 to a first-degree felony, with a punishment of between 5 and 99 years in jail and up to a $10,000 fine. You may also face a civil lawsuit from the person or company who you stole from if you are convicted of theft.
If you are convicted of a theft crime, you may be sentenced to prison time, a high penalty, restitution, and community service. You may also lose your job, and have trouble finding future employment. For these reasons, it is crucial that you hire an experienced Dallas theft lawyer to defend you on these charges. Chad West and his team has in-depth knowledge of the law regarding theft crimes, contact us today.
