Hampton Roads Robbery Penalties
A Hampton roads robbery penalty can be harsh. Prosecutors must show that the accused took an item that did not belong to them from the actual person of the other party. It was in the actual physical possession of the other party and that it was done with the use of force or there was a threat of force. For example, if a person puts a gun to somebody’s head and says, “Give me your money,” that would be a robbery.
However, snatching is not considered a robbery because while there was force used to take the purse, the only force used was that to take the purse, not excessive force to threats of violence. They have to show that the person used some violence to get what the person wanted. To learn more about what robbery entails, consult with a qualified attorney today.
Penalties for Robbery in Hampton Roads
Robbery in Virginia is a felony. If a person was convicted of robbery, they have a felony conviction on their record. It is more than likely it would result in an active jail sentence. The most that a person can get is life in prison. It is unusual for robbery charges to result in a life prison sentence, but that is what the code of Virginia states could happen. The person would have a serious felony, a violent felony, on their criminal record.
If the person were convicted of another felony, because the person was convicted of robbery and this is considered a category one violent felony, it would lead to a much higher sentence so the person would be found guilty. The Virginia sentencing guidelines consider them a category one violent felon. The person will be looking at a significant number of additional points, which primarily lead to a longer sentence. A person should take Hampton Roads robbery penalties very seriously.
Seriousness of Robbery
The two elements that elevate the seriousness of robbery are the fact that a person takes something that was in the possession of a person. It is not that the person breaks into an empty car where there is no other person, the person sought to take something that was actively in the hands of another person and that the person uses either violence or threat of violence to get what they want. It is considered more serious for those reasons, it is considered a crime against the person whereas most theft charges are considered property crimes. Robbery is considered a crime by force, which is why it sees higher penalties in Hampton Roads.
Taking a Plea Deal
Taking a plea deal is a balancing act of risk and reward. An attorney looks at the evidence and they look to see what the likelihood of success is at trial. They also look for weaknesses. If an attorney tries something and they do not win, they assess what is the punishment is and how much worse that is from what is what is offered during the plea deal. It is a balancing act to get the person a better outcome.
Benefits of Hiring a Local Lawyer
When a person is charged with a crime, the advantage of hiring somebody local is that they will know the jurisdictions and they will know the prosecutors. They have probably had more interaction with these prosecutors. But for example, an attorney who has practiced in Richmond all their life likely has never dealt with any of the prosecutors in Hampton Roads. They would not know how those prosecutors approach cases and they would not know any jurisdictional policies within those offices where a local defense attorney will be more likely to know how each place handles cases. Call a local Hampton Roads lawyer today.