Identity Theft in Bremerton

Using another person's personal identification or financial information to commit a crime is called identity theft. There are a number of situations that quality as identity theft, such as opening a credit card in another person's name, or stealing their personal information to commit some other crime. Other scenarios that qualify as identity theft include:

• Stealing another person's ID
• Check kiting or forging
• Fraudulent money transfers
• Using a stolen credit card to make purchases
• Mail fraud
• Using a false identity to obtain merchandise

If you or someone you love is charged with identity theft, you should be fully aware that a conviction could mean a decade in prison. These felony cases are heard in the Kitsap County Superior Court, which is located in Port Orchard. The penalties for this crime are severe because of how devastating it can be to the victim. Someone whose identity is stolen may suddenly not be able to buy food or medication for their kids, so prosecutors often seek maximum sentences for this serious crime.

Even if the identity theft crime only involved a small amount of money, the consequences of a conviction may still be devastating. In these cases, the quality of your criminal defense truly matters, so we urge you to speak with a Bremerton identity theft lawyer about your situation without delay.

At our Washington law office, every attorney is dedicated to building an aggressive defense designed to keep you out of prison while minimizing other punishments in whatever way possible. If you're innocent of the charges and this is all a big misunderstanding, we will independently investigate every detail of your case so that we can present the facts to a judge.

Felonies tried in the Kitsap County Superior Court are divided into degrees. Identity theft crimes are classified as either Class B or Class C felonies. The maximum penalties for each is noted below:

• Class C – This is the charge when the amount of money fraudulently acquired is less than $1,500. A conviction is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and fines totaling $10,000.
• Class B – This is the charge when the amount of money fraudulently acquired is more than $1,500. A conviction is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and fines totaling $20,00.

The victim in identity theft cases is also allowed to sue the perpetrator for civil damages and attorney's fees. They may also sue for costs associated with repairing damaged credit, which means the price for committing this crime can be staggering.

Obviously, it's in your best interests to talk to a Bremerton identity theft attorney who can help you address these serious criminal charges. In many of these cases the goal is to minimize the punishments in whatever way possible. Successfully resolving the case may mean keeping you out of prison or reducing the sentence in some way. Every case is different and requires careful consideration by your Bremerton identity theft lawyer. When we take your case, we immediately start investigating the facts so that we can prepare a resolute defense, but it all starts with a free consultation.

A conviction for identity theft in the State of Washington will have a devastating impact on your life, and your future. The first step toward resolving your case is to talk to one of our WA State criminal lawyers without cost or obligation. You can get the facts, find out information about the law, and get a better idea of how your case will be resolved.

Building a defense takes hard work. If evidence used to prosecute you was obtained illegally, we can petition the court to have it suppressed. In many cases our attorneys use a combination of skillful litigation and artful negotiation with the prosecutor to help our client's cause.

Take note that other criminal charges often accompany identity theft charges. For example, it's common for people charged with identity theft to also be charged with a drug-related crime of some sort. Our Bremerton criminal lawyers are well-versed in all areas of the law, and are equipped to help you deal with every criminal charge, so contact our law office today for a free consultation.