A woman in Georgia has been arrested and sentenced for possession of stolen firearms. Between June 2018 and January 2019, the woman reportedly stole 37 firearms and sold them at a pawn shop. She was also in possession of 46 stolen firearms at the time of her arrest. In a statement, a U.S. attorney working on the case said that the woman sold the firearms to legitimate businesses, which resulted in the police finding out about her theft.
In August 2020, the woman was sentenced to 57 months in jail and three years of supervised release with no chance of parole. According to official documents, the woman has previous convictions of theft on her record.
According to a crime analyst, shotguns and rifles are popular among criminal dealers. Thousands of firearms are stolen in home burglaries every year, and many thefts occur because the owners leave their firearms in easily accessible places instead of safely locking them up.
How to proceed when faced with theft charges
Theft charges can result from stealing another person’s property as well as shoplifting, receiving stolen goods from out of state, committing extortion or stealing a misplaced item. If the victim feels that they were threatened, threat charges can become robbery charges. Additionally, if the stolen property is valued at $500 or more, the theft charge can turn into a felony.
When faced with charges of theft, an individual might be interested in speaking with a criminal defense lawyer. A lawyer might help the client assess the charges that were made against them and assist the client in building a defense case that results in the charges being reduced or dropped altogether. A lawyer may also be able to help the client negotiate a smaller penalty that includes reduced fees or jail time.
