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Houston Theft Attorney | Harris County Theft Crime Lawyer

Houston Theft Crimes Defense Law

Houston Theft Crime Defense Lawyer James Sullivan represents clients on misdemeanor and felony theft offenses in Houston and the surrounding counties. Theft of any amount is a very serious crime.  It is a crime of moral turpitude (dishonesty) and a conviction for theft can negatively affect you for the rest of your life. You really cannot afford a conviction for theft on your record.

Each year, hundreds of people contact Attorney James Sullivan in order to get their theft convictions expunged from their record because they cannot get a job, but unfortunately a theft conviction cannot be expunged or sealed (non-disclosed). Young people especially may not know about or consider the far-reaching effects of having a theft conviction on their record. Sullivan can discuss with you the possible options in order to later get your criminal case sealed or expunged.

If you are charged with a theft offense, contact Houston Theft Lawyer James Sullivan at (281) 546-6428 for a free consultation.

A person commits theft if he unlawfully takes another person’s property without their consent and with the intent to deprive the owner of the property [Texas Penal Code Sec. 31.03]. Obviously, if he did not intend to take the other person’s property, then it is not theft. For example, in an alleged shoplifting case, if you place a case of beer on the rack under your shopping cart, forget about it and then walk out of the grocery store without paying for it, you should not be held responsible. Or, if your child puts an item in your shopping bag without your knowledge and you leave the store without paying for it, you should not be convicted of theft.

If you have been charged with shoplifting or any other theft related crime, you need a Houston theft crime attorney to represent you. You may face serious consequences if you have been arrested for theft in Houston or the surrounding area. Your penalties will vary depending on the value of what you allegedly stole and other factors. Theft crimes include shoplifting, hot checks, fraud, embezzlement and identity theft. Theft crime can range from class C misdemeanor to 1st degree felony. Burglary of a motor vehicle is a class A misdemeanor. Auto theft is usually charged as a felony offense unless the value of the motor vehicle stolen is less than $2,500. Other felony theft related crimes include credit card abuse (state jail felony), burglary of a building (state jail felony) and burglary of a habitation (2nd degree felony).

Punishment for Houston Theft Crimes

In Texas, the punishment for theft is listed in Chapter 12 of the Texas Penal Code. Depending on the value of the theft, a conviction can result in a range of punishment as follows:

  1. If the value of the property stolen is less than $100, a class C misdemeanor is punishable by a fine up to $500.
  2. If the value of the property stolen is $100 or more but less than $750, a person charged with theft can be convicted of a Class B misdemeanor, which is punishable by a fine not to exceed $2,000, a  jail sentence of up to 180 days, or both.
  3. If the value of the property stolen is $750 or more but less than $2,500, a person charged with theft can be convicted of a Class A misdemeanor, which is punishable by a fine not to exceed $4,000, a  jail sentence of up to one year, or both.
  4. If the value of the property stolen is $2,500 or more but less than $30,000, a person charged with theft can be convicted of a state jail felony, which is punishable by a state jail sentence ranging from 180 days to two years and a fine of up to $10,000.
  5. If the value of the property stolen is $30,000 or more but less than $150,000, a person charged with theft can be convicted of a felony of the third degree, which is punishable by a prison sentence ranging from 2 to 10 years and a fine of up to $10,000.
  6. If the value of the property stolen is $150,000 or more but less than $300,000, a person charged with theft can be convicted of a felony of the second degree, which is punishable by a prison sentence ranging from 2 to 20 years and a fine of up to $10,000.
  7. If the value of the property stolen is $300,000 or more, a person charged with theft can be convicted of a felony of the first degree, which is punishable by a prison sentence ranging from 5 to 99 years or life and a fine up to $10,000.

James G. Sullivan and Associates | Harris County Theft Crime Lawyers

Houston theft attorney James Sullivan will discuss with you the seriousness of your charge and the various effective defense strategies that are best suited for your particular case. Before you make your plea in court, it is important that you consult a theft crimes defense lawyer. Houston Criminal Attorney James Sullivan gets proven results.

James Sullivan graduated from Baylor University in 1990 with a degree in Journalism, the ideal degree for investigating, discovering and telling winning stories in court. In 1993, Sullivan graduated from South Texas College of Law, which is nationally recognized as the top law school for trial advocacy.

James Sullivan later graduated from Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College in Wyoming. Founded in 1994, it is the most selective and prestigious trial advocacy program in America. The methods taught at TLC are not taught anywhere else. The 1,150 graduates form an extremely unique community of the most accomplished trial lawyers in the United States. Sullivan has a proven record of defending people from all walks of life, faiths and countries in courts throughout Texas.

Contact James Sullivan & Associates for a free consultation at (281) 546-6428 about your theft charges in Harris County, Montgomery County, Fort Bend County, Brazoria County, Waller County,  and throughout southeast Texas.

Contact Houston theft crime trial lawyers James Sullivan and Associates at (281) 546-6428 for a free consultation and preliminary case evaluation.

Certainly each case is different.  Similar results may not be obtained in your case and past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Client review of Theft Case

Theft charge of a Tag Heuer Watch!

I want to thank Mr. Sullivan for representing me. He helped me throughout a very critical stage of my life; I was going through a divorce and then also being charged with a felony theft. In search of an attorney, I went online and what caught my interest in Mr. James Sullivan is that he is a Christian and has amazing reviews.

On September 23rd I was at the Houston airport rushing through a TSA check point. I mistakenly grabbed someone else’s Tag Heuer watch. It was an exact duplicate of my watch. When I realized it was not my watch, I contacted the TSA Lost and Found Department. I was then given instructions to return it when I got back to Houston airport. After being deployed as a merchant marine for 25 days, I returned the watch on October 19, 2015. By that time I found out I was being charged with theft. In February, Mr. Sullivan and I tried to retrieve the watch from the TSA. By then no one in the airport knew anything about the watch and there were no records nor videos.

In court I had the opportunity to see Mr. Sullivan go against the most hard-headed prosecutor and just how he approached her in a professional manner gave me peace of mind. I had so much to lose, not only my freedom but also my career. Long story short the felony charges were dismissed by the chief prosecutor after I paid $4,720 in restitution for the value of the watch. I am grateful to be able to keep my career. I’ve had my career for 8 years now and counting thanks to Mr. Sullivan and I thank him for listening and believing in me, not allowing the prosecutor to convict me of a crime I did not commit. I recommend Mr. Sullivan not just to anyone who is in search of a good honest Christian, but a man I consider to be the best defense attorney.

–Avvo review posted by Jesus Arteaga on March 10, 2016