Malicious mischief is defined as the willful destruction of someone else's property, whether through vandalism, graffiti, or any other means. Crimes of this nature are far more serious than many people realize. The value of the property that was destroyed or damaged determines the severity of the charge, which means that merely spray painting a wall could lead to a felony conviction.
Our Kent malicious mischief lawyers can help you better understand this sometimes complex crime:
First Degree Malicious Mischief is a Class B felony resulting from property damage in excess of $5,000. A conviction could result in up to ten years in prison and fines totaling $20,000.
Second Degree Malicious Mischief is a Class C felony, charged when property valued from $5,000 to $750 is damaged or destroyed. A conviction may result in up to five years in prison and fines totaling $20,000.
Third Degree Malicious Mischief is a gross misdemeanor, charged when damaged property is valued below $750. While not as serious as a felony malicious mischief charge, a conviction still may land you in jail for year and facing fines of up to $5,000.
The Kent malicious mischief attorneys at the Law Office of Jason S. Newcombe understand how to defend clients against these charges by using their more than 30 years of collective experience.
Our Kent Malicious Mischief Lawyers Offer Further DetailsOur Kent malicious mischief attorneys will seek avenues of defense that you may not have considered. For example, the prosecutor in a malicious mischief case is responsible for proving the value of the damaged or destroyed property. If their calculations are questionable, we may be able to have your charges reduced in some way. If the amount of the property is near the dividing line for a Class B and Class C felony, this could mean a reduction in prison time from 10 to 5 years.
Our number-one goal is to minimize your punishments whenever possible, which is why we conduct a thorough investigation of the facts and sometimes bring in expert testimony to ascertain a piece of property's true value.
This is important because there is big difference between a valuable family heirloom and a worthless item that is only perceived to be valuable. Indeed, the difference between the two could directly affect your freedom.
Contact one of our Kent malicious mischief lawyers today for a free consultation, and find out more information about how our legal professionals can help you. Your lawyer will argue to have your charges dropped to a lesser offense, which could mean being charged with a misdemeanor instead of a felony. Much will depend on the details of your case, so call our law office without delay and start getting some reliable answers based on the law.