Grand Theft Auto may be a popular video game but for others it’s much more serious. This crime, which involves taking a person’s vehicle without their permission and with the intent to keep it from them permanently or for a long period of time, can come with significant consequences including prison time. While you may think only of cars, grand theft auto actually applies to any type of vehicle, including RVs, campers, boats, trucks, etc.
There are many similar crimes to grand theft auto
There are other crimes that involve the theft of a vehicle. For example, unlawful taking of or driving of a vehicle, which is sometimes referred to simply as joyriding, is a crime under California Penal Code. This refers to a situation in which someone drivers or takes the vehicle of another person without that person’s consent. It may seem to be the same as grand theft auto, but there’s one main difference: A person committing grand theft auto doesn’t intend to return the vehicle while a person committing the crime of joyriding doesn’t intend to keep the vehicle.
Potential punishment for grand theft auto
Whether you’re charged with grand theft auto or joyriding, you could be facing either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the specifics of your case. For example, a person with a prior criminal record is more likely to be charged with a felony. In most cases, grand theft auto is charged as a felony and results in at least 16 months in state prison but up to three years.
On the other hand, a misdemeanor charge has a maximum jail sentence of one year – and that year is spent in county jail, not state prison. Joyriding is almost always charged as a misdemeanor when it involves a first-time offender. The consequences are most commonly fines of up to $5,000 and up to one year in county jail.
However, when it’s charged as a felony the punishment ranges from 16 months to three years in state prison. If the vehicle was worth more than $65,000 then an additional year can be added to the sentence. In the event the incident involved a vehicle worth more than $200,000 there could be two years added to the prison sentence.
There are defense options to charges of grand theft auto
No matter what your situation is, there are always options. One of the most common defenses for grand theft auto is showing that you had the consent of the owner. If they did give you permission, then you didn’t commit grand theft auto. Likewise, if you took a vehicle that didn’t belong to you but didn’t intend to keep it for more than a few hours, then you didn’t legally commit grand theft auto.
Even if you’re facing a wealth of evidence, the experienced attorneys at Chambers Law Firm can work to negotiate the best possible plea deal. Call us today at 714-760-4088 and find out how you can take on charges that seem insurmountable.
