Atlanta Georgia Criminal Law – Theft of Services

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In Georgia, it is against the law to avoid payment of services, entertainment, accommodations, or the use of personal property. This is known as Theft of Services, found at O.C.G.A.  § 16-8-5.

Examples of Theft of Services include utilizing a cleaning or lawn care company, and then not paying. Other service examples could be legal services, hair styling services, or accounting services. Simply put, it is against the law to use someone’s services and then avoid payment. Theft of services in Georgia also includes theft of utility services like water and electricity. In that situation, you can be charged with numerous crimes for tampering with electric or water meters.

  In order for Theft of Services to be a criminal issue, thus potentially involving loss of liberty and a criminal history, the State must prove that the avoidance of payment was done by deception and with the intent to avoid the payment. Without deception and criminal intent, theft of services is more accurately defined as a civil or monetary legal issue, versus a criminal one. If the State is unable to prove deception or criminal intent to avoid the payment, there is a strong defense case for an acquittal. This is because civil courts are filled with people not paying other people back. In most instances, it is a contract issue. However, if there is the criminal intent to avoid payment and done so deceptively, the prosecuting attorney will bring the case to court.

So what is deception? Deception is defined in Georgia law for purposes of Theft of Services as providing knowingly false information to another with the intention to avoid payment. For example, Georgia law has held deception to be found when the suspect used a forged check to pay for lawn mower repair. In that situation, the State proved deception via the falsifying check as well as intention to avoid payment as the person never returned to make the payment.

What is the Punishment for Theft in Georgia?

  • If Theft of Services amount is:
    •  Less than $1,500: the maximum punishment is 12 months in jail and/or $1,000.
    • $1,500.01 – $5,000: 1 to 5 years imprisonment
    • $5,000.01 – $24,999.99: 1 to 10 years imprisonment
    • $25,000 or more: 2 to 20 years imprisonment

Note that there is increased punishment if the theft involved a fiduciary in breach of a fiduciary obligation. 

                So long as the amount of theft is less than $25,000, the trial court actually has discretion to treat it as a misdemeanor. Misdemeanors, if convicted, carry less harsh sentences. Misdemeanors also do not require the forfeiture of civil rights (i.e. to carry a firearm or sit on a jury).

                If you or a loved one has been arrested for Theft of Services, or any type of Theft case in Georgia, call us today for a FREE CONSULTATION at 404-581-0999.

Georgia Criminal Law – Theft by Conversion, or Embezzlement

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A common element across all theft crimes is the act of taking, obtaining, converting, or appropriating the property of another. But, absent this similarity, several distinct theft crimes exist under the large umbrella of theft crimes generally, such as: theft by taking, theft by deception, fraud, and theft by shoplifting, robbery, and theft by conversion. This aims to explain the crime of theft by conversion (commonly referred to as “embezzlement”), the punishment, and defenses.

The Offense

Theft by conversion occurs when the defendant, after lawfully receiving funds from another under an agreement to make a specified application of them, knowingly puts the money to his own use in violation of the agreement. O.C.G.A. § 16-8-4(a).

The statute also contains a provision applying to government workers and officers of financial institutions, “[w]hen, under subsection (a) of this Code section, an officer or employee of a government or of a financial institution fails to pay on an account, upon lawful demand, from the funds or property of another held by him, he is presumed to have intended to convert the funds or property to his own use.” O.C.G.A. § 16-8-4(b). This section ensures government and banking actors will act wisely with money entrusted to them by the public.

The stated purpose of the theft by conversion statute is to punish and deter fraudulent conversion, not mere breaches of contract or broken promises. That being said, the terms of the agreement are critical in determining whether an accused converted funds of another from a directed purpose to his own use. 

What separates theft by conversion from other theft crimes is that in theft by conversion the person accused comes into possession of the property lawfully, whereas in other theft crimes, the person accused obtains property secretly and unlawfully. In theft by conversion there is some form of entrustment.

Case Examples

Evidence that defendant did not return nor continue making rental payments on two televisions was sufficient to support determination that defendant converted televisions to her own use; defendant violated rental agreements’ obligations to make payments or return televisions to rental center, defendant moved televisions to another address without center’s knowledge or consent in violation of agreements, and center’s owner testified that each television had a retail market value of $649.87.  Williams v. State, 328 Ga.App. 898 (2014).

Evidence that defendant failed to return rented wood chipper to store, lied to store regarding his address and phone number, and moved to another country and assumed an alias after store management swore out a warrant for his arrest was sufficient to establish that defendant acted with criminal intent, as required to support conviction for theft by conversion. Terrell v. State, 275 Ga.App. 501 (2005).

Evidence was insufficient to support conviction for theft by conversion, in prosecution arising out of incident in which customer left van with defendant, a mechanic, for repair and van was not returned; there was no evidence that mechanic drove the van, that he cannibalized it for spare parts, or that he used it for any other purposes, except to perform work upon it, there was no evidence that defendant did anything to conceal the whereabouts of the van from the customer or keep her from possessing it, there was no evidence that defendant had anything to do with eventual disposal of van, and defendant did not attempt to flee. Thomas v. State, 308 Ga.App. 331 (2011).

Interestingly, the theft by conversion statute has been held unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Georgia. In Sherrod v. State, 280 Ga. 275 (2006), the Court held the mandatory presumption contained in statute setting forth offense of theft by conversion of leased property that proof that demand letter was properly sent to lessee and that property was not returned within five days established guilt of offense, was unconstitutional, as it subverted presumption of innocence accorded to accused persons and invaded truth-finding task assigned solely to fact-finder.  

Punishment

Whether theft by conversion will be punished as a misdemeanor or felony depends on the value of the money or property stolen. If the value is less than $500, the offense will be charged as a misdemeanor. If the value exceeds $500, the offense will be charged as a felony. Misdemeanor theft by conversion is punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a $1,000 fine, or both. Felony theft by conversion is punishable by no less than one year in prison and no more than ten years imprisonment. In addition to imprisonment and fines, the court may also impose restitution as part of the sentence.

If the property is not returned, the court will use the following guidelines to assess the value of the stolen goods:

  • The market value of the property, determined by obtaining a quote from a supplier who sells property of similar character and value (the higher value of the date the conversion occurred versus the value on the date of trial)
  • Rental charges; and
  • Interest on unpaid balances at the legal rates until the debtor pays the converted funds

Defenses

  • No intent: the State has to prove the accused person converted the property for their own use knowingly and with fraudulent intent. If there is not such intent, the person cannot be convicted.
  • Consent: if the property owner gave the accused person permission to convert the property for the accused person’s own use, evidence of consent (email, text, letter) would provide strong support for the defense.
  • The property was used as intended: evidence indicating the property was used in a way contemplated by the agreement would also strongly aid the defense of a theft by conversion charge. There must be an action or statement showing the person accused intended to claim or use the property as their own.
  • Value: the State must prove value at trial. If the weight of the evidence attempting to prove value, then an essential element of the charge has not been met, and the accused person cannot be convicted.
  • Returning the property is not a defense: the fact an embezzler settled their debt or default does not destroy the criminality of the act. McCoy v. State, 15 Ga. 205 (1854).

Contact Us

If you or someone you know has been arrested and charged with theft by conversion, contact the law firm of W. Scott Smith at 404.581.0999 for a free case evaluation. You’ll a local Atlanta attorney ready to aggressively fight on your behalf.

Theft by Receiving Stolen Firearm

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  Under § OCGA 16-8-7, a person commits the offense of theft by receiving stolen property when he receives, disposes of, or retains stolen property which he knows or should know was stolen.” If the item in question is less than $1,500, it is a misdemeanor, meaning the maximum punishment that someone can receive is a year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. If the item reportedly stolen and possessed is worth more than $1,500, then that person will be charged with a felony. The punishment in that situation can be anywhere from 1 to 10 years in prison.

What’s my defense for stolen firearm?

    If you or a loved one has been charged with this offense, know that there are defenses in Georgia law. Possession of stolen property, alone, will not warrant a criminal conviction that will be carried forever. The State must prove knowledge that the item was stolen.  This knowledge, however, can be inferred from the circumstances, specifically if the circumstances would create suspicion it was stolen in the mind of an ordinarily prudent person.

If the item in question is a firearm, the crime will automatically be charged as a felony carrying 1 to 5 years in prison if convicted. The good news is courts have ruled in defendants’ favor in various situations. For example, it is insufficient to prove the person knew the gun was stolen just because it was bought on the street at a reduced price. Additionally, even if the gun is labeled for Law Enforcement use, this too is also insufficient for a criminal conviction for this charge.        

We can help!

     The attorneys of W. Scott Smith have handled numerous Theft by Receiving charges all over the state of Georgia, many of which involved stolen firearms. Because this is a felony charge, it is imperative to have attorneys on your side familiar with the law and defenses.  Call us today with your questions on Theft by Receiving Stolen Firearm. We offer FREE CONSULTATIONS at 404-581-0999.

by Mary Agramonte

Robbery by Sudden Snatching

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Robbery or Burglary?

It is not uncommon for people to use “robbery” and “burglary” interchangeably. For example, a person enters their home to discovery it’s been ransacked. They might exclaim, “I’ve been robbed!” That exclamation is inaccurate under Georgia law. In Georgia, that person is a victim of burglary, not robbery, because Georgia defines burglary as entering, or remaining in, a building without authority with the intent to commit a felony.

Robbery on the other hand contemplates taking property from the person or immediate presence of another with intent to commit theft. There are three types of robbery in Georgia: robbery by force, intimidation or threat of violence, and sudden snatching. I will review all three flavors in future blog posts, but for now let’s review sudden snatching.

Robbery by Snatching Scenario

When I think of robbery by sudden snatching, I picture an elderly woman walking along a city sidewalk with her purse. Suddenly, her purse is snatched off her shoulder by a swift offender. The offender does not use any force to take the purse from her; he merely snatches it off her person.

The lack of force employed to secure the purse highlights a key distinction between robbery by force and sudden snatching. If the elderly woman resisted and the offender used force by, say, pushing her to the ground to take her purse, then the offender committed robbery by force, not sudden snatching. Sudden snatching literally means taking the purse without any use of force.

A Key Distinction

Another key element of robbery by sudden snatching is that the victim must be conscious of the theft before it is completed. Say the elderly woman walking down the street does not realize the offender snatched her purse from her person, and only realizes her purse is missing when she attempts to pay the fee at her dry cleaners later that afternoon. As the offender’s attorney, I would argue the offender could not be prosecuted for robbery by sudden snatching because the victim was not aware of the theft when it happened. The offender may be guilty of theft by taking (because theft by taking does not require the victim to be conscious of the theft before it is completed), but he is not guilty of robbery by sudden snatching.

If you or someone you know has been charged with robbery contact our office today for a free consultation. We will be happy to walk through your goals and inform you of the various defenses that can be implemented for your case.

by Sarah Armstrong

Entering an Automobile: Theft and More

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Entering an Automobile in Georgia

Entering an automobile is a theft crime under Georgia law. It is defined as the entering of any automobile or other motor vehicle with the intent to commit a theft or felony.

Usually, people under indictment for this offense are accused of breaking into cars to steal property. The State does not have to prove they actually stole anything, just that they had the intent to steal property when entering into the car.

But it was my own car?

Interestingly enough, a person can be charged with entering into their own vehicle to commit a theft or felony. The State does not have to establish lack of authority to enter a car because the statute makes no distinction between authorized and unauthorized entry.

This means you, as a defendant, could be accused of Entering an Automobile if the State alleges you entered your own car with the intent to, say, steal the laptop your friend left in your car. Once again, the State would not have to prove you actually stole the laptop, only that you intended to commit steal it.

Remember the law defines Entering an Automobile as entering a car with the intent to commit a theft or felony. This would contemplate a scenario in which someone entering a car (either their own or someone else’s) to commit rape, murder, aggravated assault, etc.

What’s My Defense?

The law defines Entering by Automobile as a felony or a misdemeanor at the judge’s discretion. This is important because it means your attorney, in the context of a negotiated plea, can (and should) ask the judge for misdemeanor sentencing, thus allowing you to avoid felony conviction (or wasting your first offender on what could’ve been a misdemeanor).

If you or someone you know has been charged with entering an automobile contact our office today for a free consultation.

by Sarah Armstrong

Theft by Deception

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What is Theft by Deception?

In Georgia, a person commits Theft by Deception when the obtain property by any deceitful means or artful practice with the intention of depriving the owner of said property. At trial, the state must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused intended to deceive. According to the statute intentional deception is demonstrated when the accused:

  1. Creates or confirms false impressions, which he knows or believes to be false; or,
  2. Fails to correct false impression previously created or confirmed
  3. Prevents another from acquiring information pertinent to disposition of property; or,
  4. Sells, transfers, or encumbers property intentionally failing to disclose a legal impediment that is or is not a matter of official record, or,
  5. Promises performance of services, which he does not perform and/or knows will not be performed.

In plain language, a person commits theft by deception when they get property (or money) from someone by deceiving them. Here’s a scenario to illustrate:

An Example

You’re in the market for a grandfather clock for your living room. You see one for sale on craigslist and reach out to the seller. You and the seller strike a deal for the clock. You send him the money via PayPal and go to the seller’s antique store to pick up the clock. When you arrive, you’re informed that the clock is not for sale. In fact, the clock does not even belong to the seller. Here, the seller acquired money from you by deceiving you into believing the clock was his to sell.

An Alternative Example

On the flip side, let’s say you’re the seller in this scenario. You, the seller, and your brother sell antiques out of the store. You’re brother purchased the grandfather clock and put it in the store. So, you assumed your brother wanted to sell the clock pursuant to your antique business. Turns out you sold a clock he did not want to sell. Your defense in this scenario is that you, the accused seller, did not intend to deceive the clock’s buyer because you genuinely thought the clock was for sale by your antique-selling partner.

 The moral of the story here is to always make sure that if you sell something that was procured by someone else, make sure that person actually want to sell it before you sell it to a customer. Otherwise, you might face charges for theft by deception.

If you or someone you know has been charged with theft by deception or any other theft charge contact our office today for a free consultation.

by Sarah Armstrong