Robbery is a violent crime, and when you are accused of a violent crime, you can expect to be treated as a violent criminal by the police and the prosecutor. It’s understandable if you feel like no one is on your side. But, your defense attorney can be.
Charges like this carry the potential of many years behind bars. If you are convicted of robbery, you don’t only face incarceration, but you also face fines and the problems that go with having a violent felony on your criminal record.
If you are charged with robbery, you need an aggressive advocate on your side, working to mitigate the potential consequences of the case on your life.
Ohio Robbery Laws and Penalties
In Ohio, there are two basic robbery laws: robbery and aggravated robbery. The facts of your case and the evidence that the prosecutor has against you will determine which charge you face.
Robbery is defined as: attempting or committing a theft where you have a deadly weapon under your control, you inflict harm or threaten to inflict harm on the alleged victim, or you use force or threaten to use force against them.
In most cases, robbery is classified as a second degree felony, which carries up to 2 to 8 years in prison and fines. If, however, you do not have a weapon and you do not inflict or threaten to inflict harm, you could be charged with a third degree felony, and face 1 to 5 years in prison.
Aggravated Robbery, on the other hand, is a felony of the first degree. You could be facing this charge if you do any of the following in the commission of a theft offense:
- Have a deadly weapon and use it, display it, brandish it, or indicate that you have it,
- Have explosives or other “dangerous ordnance” in your possession, or
- Inflict or attempt to inflict serious physical harm on the alleged victim.
Aggravated robbery carries a potential 3 to 10 years in prison and fines reaching $20,000.
Whether you are accused of robbery or even aggravated robbery, you may still have options. Contact our offices today to discuss the details of your case and how we might be able to help.
From negotiating with the prosecutor for a favorable plea agreement and lenient sentence, to defending your good name at trial, we can work tirelessly to assist you in avoiding the most severe penalties in your burglary case.
