Auto Theft Attorney San Antonio

• Class B Misdemeanor – For vehicle parts worth less than $750, you could face fines of up to $2,000 and up to 180 days in jail.
• Class A Misdemeanor – For a vehicle or vehicle parts worth $750 to $2,500, you could face fines of up to $4,000 and up to one year in jail.
• State Jail Felony – For vehicles worth between $2,500 and $30,000, you could face fines of up to $10,000 and up to 2 years in jail.
• Third-Degree Felony – For vehicles worth $30,000 to $150,000, you could face up to $10,000 in fines and between two and ten years in jail.
• Second-Degree Felony – You could face up to $10,000 in fines and between two and twenty years in jail for vehicles worth $150,000 to $300,000.
• First-Degree Felony – For vehicles worth more than $300,000, you could face up to $10,000 in fines and between five years and life in prison.

A defendant’s criminal history can have an impact on the severity of the charges and penalties they face. The charge you face also depends on whether the vehicle was stolen from an elderly person (age 65 or older) or from a nonprofit organization. In these cases, the charges can be increased to the next higher level.

If you've been charged with auto theft, there may be ways to get your charges reduced or dropped. A skilled criminal defense lawyer will look at every detail of your case to find the right way to defend you and build an argument of reasonable doubt against your guilt. The sooner you get help, the better your chances of a good outcome.

An experienced San Antonio auto theft attorney can use different strategies to fight for you:

• Show Someone Else Did It – Your lawyer can prove that another person stole the vehicle by showing that you were elsewhere when it happened, there was a case of misidentification, the evidence against you was misinterpreted, or that the eyewitnesses’ testimonies were mistaken.
• Challenge the Evidence – If the evidence against you is weak or was collected illegally, your attorney can argue that it shouldn't be used in court.
• Prove Your Rights Were Violated – If the police didn't read you your rights upon arrest or during investigation, or they searched your property without permission, your lawyer can get the charges reduced or dropped.
• Show You Thought You Had Permission – Sometimes people are charged with auto theft when they genuinely believed they had permission to use the property involved. Your lawyer can explain this to the court, and your case may be dropped if you returned the vehicle after discovering the truth.
• The Case Is Statute-Barred – Most crimes have a statute of limitations, which means they cannot be tried in court after a specific date. If your charges were filed after the limitation date the law provides, the court may dismiss the case.
• Apply for a Diversion Program – If this is your first offense, you might be able to complete community service or classes instead of going to jail.

Legal representation can have a significant impact on the possible outcomes of your criminal case. If you’ve been charged with a criminal offense for motor vehicle theft in San Antonio, Texas, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Law Office of John G. Perez Jr. for help building a strong possible defense. You can schedule your FREE confidential consultation.