You are charged with burglary, and whether or not there is justification for this, you are now faced with criminal charges that will impact your life, ability to obtain and maintain a job, and your financial well-being.
You need a qualified Pima burglary defense lawyer ready to fight for you. At Suzuki Law Offices, our highly skilled and experienced Pima theft crime lawyer, a former prosecutor, works to build a strong case to defend and protect your rights under the law.
Understanding Your Burglary Charges Under the Law
Under Arizona Law, a person who enters or remains within a non-residential or residential structure or within a fenced-in residential or commercial area with the intent to commit theft or any felony could be charged with burglary.
One of the key components of this law is that a person needs to just have acted “with intent” of burglarizing. That means that it is possible to face these charges even in situations where you entered the area but did not take anything.
Those who are charged with burglary will face one of three levels. Keep in mind that all are serious charges, and all warrant the use of a Pima criminal defense lawyer to guide you through your rights. The following are the three classifications to expect:
- First–degree Burglary: The most serious charge applies to those who unlawfully enter or remain at a residential property with the intent to commit a felony or any theft and are in possession of a deadly weapon or explosives. It is a Class 2 felony under the law.
- Second–Degree Burglary: This involves unlawfully entering a structure with the intent to commit a crime, but there is no requirement that a person has a weapon in this charge. It is a Class 3 felony.
- Third–Degree Burglary: In this situation, a person unlawfully enters or remains on a non-residential property or in a fenced-in commercial area with the intent to commit a crime, with less severe actions. This is a Class 4 felony under 13-1506 – Burglary in the Third Degree.
Know Your Risk of Penalties in a Burglary Case in Arizona
For those who are facing a charge of burglary in Pima, it is critical to set up a consultation with a local defense attorney who can help you. These are serious charges, and they carry an ongoing level of risk of serious consequences. Depending on the classification and degree of your charge, you could face the following:
- Class 2 felony: 7 to 21 years imprisonment, which can increase to 35 years for those with a prior record.
- Class 3 felony: 2 to 8.75 years in prison, with repeat offenses increasing that to 25 years.
- Class 4 felony: 1 to 3.75 years imprisonment with a maximum of 15 years for multiple felony convictions.
In addition to these risks, those who are convicted of a crime will also face fines and restitution set by the judge, probation for a period of time after release, and damage to their permanent record.
Take these charges seriously by contacting an attorney ready to fight for you. Turn to our Pima burglary defense lawyer and our frequently asked questions for the guidance you need regarding these charges.
How to Defend Against Burglary in Arizona
When you meet with our burglary defense attorney in Pima, we will provide a comprehensive overview of your legal rights, listen to what occurred in your case, and begin to construct a case file for you. Our goal is to help our clients walk away from such charges by having them dropped or to reduce any consequences as much as possible. To do this, we will explore various types of potential defenses against burglary charges.
- Lack of intent: This could be the ideal solution for many people. If we can show that you did not intend to commit a crime or theft, there is the potential of getting the charges dropped.
- Unlawful entry challenges: In this defense strategy, we will work to prove that you did not unlawfully enter or remain at the property, perhaps using surveillance video or witness statements to support these claims.
- Alibi: In situations where we can provide clarity that you were not at the scene of the incident, it may be possible to have the charges dropped, especially if we can present evidence that you were somewhere else.
- Misidentification: Another strategy may be to prove misidentification by stating that you were not the person identified in the police’s evidence.
- Under duress: it may be possible to use this defense strategy to show the court that you were forced due to duress or coercion to engage in the activities you are charged with.
- Violation of rights: In some defense strategies, we can prove that your constitutional rights were not adhered to in your case, which means you should not be charged with the crime.
The complexity of burglary charges makes it critical to work with our Pima burglary defense attorney to pursue the full level of the law to defend you against these claims.
Our team will explore all avenues for available evidence and work to build the strongest possible defense case to support you throughout this process. Do not wait to give us a call to learn what we can do to guide you. Browse our reviews to see how we have been successful for others just like you.
Let Us Help You with All of Your Charges
It is common for those charged with burglary to face additional charges at the same time. This may include possession of burglary tools, theft, trespassing, criminal damage, or aggravated assault. We take all of your charges seriously and fight for your defense throughout any type of situation.
Contact Our Legal Team Now for the Guidance You Need
At Suzuki Law Offices, we provide our clients with the legal defense strategy they need at the worst time of their lives. With our long history of experience in this area of law, you can trust that we will do everything we can to provide you with exceptional legal service.
Call our Pima burglary defense lawyer now.
Call or text (602) 682-5270 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form