We note the lament of an alleged criminal offender who might say something like, “I just tried the necklace on but forgot to pay for it.”
We also note at the proven Denver criminal defense law firm of Shazam Kianpour & Associates the strong likelihood that Colorado law enforcers won’t care a whit about that excuse or a similar utterance. They will almost certainly focus instead on making an example of any suspected shoplifter.
And here’s how they will do that: by bringing criminal charges carrying the maximum possible penalty. In Colorado, even an unexceptional shoplifting allegation and resulting conviction can yield a punitively high fine, probation and the stigma of a permanent criminal record.
Oh, and this too: up to a year behind bars in a county jail.
Such penalties understandably surprise many people. Although shoplifting is concededly criminal behavior, it can certainly be argued that it is not on par with any other number of offenses for which punitive exactions are no more severe. It spells wrongdoing, but in some instances might be reasonably deemed as a remediable offense marked by simple bad judgment or an impulsive act. Juvenile offenders most quickly come to mind.
Authorities don’t generally make allowances of any sort when it comes to shoplifting, though. We note on our website the immense community pressure routinely placed on prosecutors “to put a permanent mark on [an offender’s] record and to make sure it never happens again.”
Such resolve merits a knowledgeable and aggressive legal response aimed at the fullest mitigation of possible penalties. An experienced criminal defense team can provide further information.