Theft by Deception Defense in New Jersey
When someone steals money from someone else by using trickery or deceit, that is known in New Jersey as Theft by Deception. An example of theft by deception could be an individual collecting or soliciting funds for a charitable purpose but then keeping those funds, someone promising to sell a car and then keeping the deposit, or using any other means to trick someone into giving them money.
In order to convict a person of theft by deception, the State must prove the following elements of the crime:
- Property was obtained by the accused
- Property was obtained by the use of deception
- The accused intended to deceive the victim
- Some economic gain to the defendant or loss to the victim occurred
Grading of Theft by Deception Charges
Like other theft crimes, theft by deception charges are graded based on the value obtained by the defendant. If the value obtained by the accused is between $200 and $500, this is a crime of the fourth degree and is punishable by up to 18 months in jail.
If the value is between $500 and $75,000, this would be considered a third degree crime, punishable by up to 5 years in New Jersey State Prison.
For amounts exceeding $75,000 the crime will be charged as a second degree, and the defendant will be facing between 5 years and 10 years in NJ State Prison.
Defending Theft Charges
Every case that we handle is dealt with individually. There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to defending theft charges. When you hire the experts at our firm, we take every precaution to ensure that all relevant discovery is reviewed, every possible defense explored and that you understand your options and likelihood of success should the matter proceed to trial. We have been doing this for more than 40 years and are your best chance of beating your charges and retaining your freedom.
