Oakland County, Michigan – Michigan theft defense attorney Paul J. Tafelski recently released a new article talking about retail theft charges in Michigan. (https://www.michigandefenselaw.com/theft-lawyer/) The lawyer mentions that facing retail theft charges means that you can be facing a misdemeanor or felony conviction in the state of Michigan.
Michigan theft defense attorney Paul J. Tafelski says that retail theft is also called retail fraud in Michigan. He mentions that depending on the value of the item stolen, the charges can range from a third-degree misdemeanor offense to retail theft in the first degree, which is a felony offense. The penalties for any retail fraud conviction can be severe.
According to the attorney Paul J. Tafelski, “Not only can a person face a significant financial penalty and the possibility of jail time, but a criminal conviction can affect that person’s ability to obtain a rental property, get specific jobs, and sometimes even be approved for certain lines of credit long after the sentence has been served.”
Aside from the aforementioned, the lawyer also discusses the penalties for a retail fraud charge. Attorney Tafelski also adds that the most serious retail fraud, or retail theft, charge in Michigan is retail fraud in the first degree. Usually, this degree is charged if the value of the item stolen is over $1000 or if the person is caught stealing, altering, transferring, removing, concealing, or otherwise taking actions that make it clear that the person has an intent not to pay for the item.
In the article, the lawyer explains what conversion is. According to attorney Paul Tafelski, conversion means that a person starts off with rightful possession of the property or consent to have the property but then doesn’t give it back. One example may be that you rented a cleaning machine and you took it home but didn’t return it back.
The lawyer also answers the question “What about illegal credit card usage or someone is misusing a card or using a credit card that does not belong to them, what would that be considered?”
For the said question, the theft defense lawyer Paul J. Tafelski says, “The illegal use of a credit card for the financial transaction is also a felony. You also have a situation where someone has a bad check and that’s called Uttering and Publishing which is also a felony. Those are financial fraud-related crimes and oftentimes those crimes can be difficult for the prosecutor to prove to depend upon their evidence. They sometimes provide opportunities for the defense to obtain good results and get the case dismissed.”
Lastly, the lawyer emphasizes that if anyone is being charged with theft, it is important to seek the guidance of a skilled theft defense lawyer. Having an experienced lawyer may be able to help the defendant understand their options and rights.
About Michigan Defense Law
Michigan Defense Law is a law firm that takes the presumption to be innocent very seriously. Every client deserves competent legal representation. They may be able to aggressively defend anyone facing a misdemeanor or felony charge and help ensure a good outcome. Paul Tafelski, David Goukassian, and their Michigan Defense Law team have over 25 years of experience in criminal defense law. The experienced team of lawyers at Michigan Defense Law is dedicated to helping people in need. Contact them today at (248) 451-2200 to schedule a consultation.
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Paul J. Tafelski
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