Burglary - Arizona Criminal & DUI Defense Attorney
Aggressive, Affordable Arizona Burglary Lawyer 24/7
If you or a loved one is charged with burglary, you're in a difficult situation. Burglary charges can be hard to shake off – particularly if law enforcement has found stolen property. That's why you need an experienced attorney who can work on your behalf to have the charges dropped or reduced. Paul Ramos will mount a vigorous defense on your behalf and create the type of doubt in the minds of prosecutors and jurors that will create the best possible outcome.
Types of Arizona Burglary Charges
In order to obtain a burglary conviction, a prosecutor has to prove that you entered the building without permission. That's called trespass.
In Arizona, criminal trespass is a class 3 misdemeanor, which can carry a 30-day jail sentence and a $500 fine. Second-degree trespass is a class 2 misdemeanor, punishable by up to four months in jail and a $750 fine. A first-degree trespass, such as a home invasion or armed burglary, is a class 6 felony, which can bring a year or two in prison and a fine.
A charge of burglary in the third degree is entering a fenced yard or non-residential structure. That's a class 4 felony. Residential burglary is treated much more harshly and can be classified as a class 3 felony. If the accused was in possession of a deadly weapon, that becomes a class 2 felony.
You can also be convicted of possessing, buying, or selling burglary tools, such as a master key, a crowbar, bolt cutters, or lock picks. Typically, possession is a misdemeanor.