Greenwich Identity Theft Lawyer
Identity theft occurs when a person knowingly uses personal identifying information of another person to obtain or attempt to obtain money, goods, services, or property of value without the consent of that other person.
Such crimes are sometimes penalized severely, which is why any individual who has been accused should consult with an experienced theft attorney as soon as possible. A Greenwich identity theft lawyer can build a case to help minimize or dismiss any consequences associated with the charge.
Common Offenses
Identity theft typically occurs when somebody takes the personal identifying information of another person and essentially poses as another person. When they do that, they are using it to obtain something of value.
When an individual is dealing with identity theft, they are also likely going to be on the hook for the item they took. Identity theft criminalizes the act of trying to and using somebody’s information to obtain those goods in an unauthorized manner.
The fact that a person received goods that they are not supposed to have also makes the person guilty of the crime of larceny. Larceny covers the actual unauthorized taking of the property whereas the identity theft covers the way that the person obtained the unauthorized property. To defend against such charges, an individual should consult with a Greenwich identity theft lawyer immediately.
Immediate Consequences
The immediate consequence of an identity theft charge is that the person may be convicted of the crime. The person will be guilty of anywhere from a Class D Felony all the way up to a Class B Felony.
The accused individual is dealing with felony-level charges by itself without any regards or whether there are any punishments. Felonies create a very negative stigma for a person that is convicted.
It hurts job opportunities and can restrict certain rights that the person has, whether that is to vote or hold certain state licenses. To best defend against such restrictions, an individual should contact a Greenwich identity theft lawyer immediately.
Long-Term Consequences
A conviction also creates a perception that the person is dishonest. Some of these tangential consequences will affect the person’s life in a very material way.
Outside of the tangential consequences, there are the more concrete consequences that come from the court, for example, jail time, probation, potential fines, and any combination of those three things that would be ordered by the judge.
If a person must go to jail, they would be losing their freedom. That would affect them very meaningfully and very immediately. If they were sentenced to probation or at some point had to do probation, they would be able to exist in society but with very severe restriction, and some very severe consequences if they violated any of the conditions of their probation.
Such consequences would also affect them financially if and when they have to pay fines and/or they are ordered to make restitution, meaning that they have to pay the person back for whatever it is that they took.
Benefit of an Attorney
A seasoned Greenwich identity theft lawyer can help the person understand their rights in connection with any investigation into identity theft, such as, to what extent they should be interacting with the law enforcement and whether the potential defendant would benefit in any further interaction with law enforcement.
The identity theft attorney in Greenwich would help the person gather the right type of information and evidence to either explain or support a defense or create doubt as to the essential elements that the government needs to prove.
Lastly, they would help the person identify potential mitigating factors that although would not negate the person’s guilt in committing the identity theft, would help them perhaps receive a lesser punishment.