What Are the Possible Consequences of Receiving Stolen Property?

As discussed above, the legal penalties for receiving stolen property charges will
232132depend on the laws of the jurisdiction in which the crime occurred. The legal
penalties may also be affected by the specific facts of an individual case as well as
dsddsd23123whether the receiver is charged with committing a felony or a
misdemeanor offense. 

In most instances, however, receiving stolen property is classified as a “wobbler”

offense. This means that the crime can either be charged as a felony or as a
misdemeanor. The value of the stolen property in question will often dictate
whether the crime should be charged as a felony or misdemeanor offense.

For example, if the stolen property is worth a lot of money, then the receiver will
most likely be charged with a felony crime. On the other hand, if the value of the stolen
property is inexpensive, then the defendant will probably be charged with a
misdemeanor offense.

Regardless of what the receiver is charged with, they could potentially be facing the
following legal punishments:

 Having to serve a prison sentence;

 Being ordered to pay restitution to any victims hurt by the receiver’s actions;
 Having to abide by probation guidelines (e.g., curfew, drug tests, treatment, etc.); or
 Having to pay criminal monetary fines (depending on the value of the property in question). 

In most cases, a first-time offender will only be required to pay criminal fines. For
example, if the offender was charged and convicted of this crime as a misdemeanor
offense, then they would likely be fined no more than $1,000 for the stolen property. In
contrast, if the offender was charged and convicted of this crime as a felony offense,
then they would likely be fined $1,000 or more for the stolen property. 

Additionally, it is important to note that a defendant may face harsher punishments and
may be charged with committing a felony crime if they are considered to be a repeat
offender, as opposed to a first-time offender. This is because first-time offenders usually
receive less severe forms of punishment, so that they have a chance to prove they can
redeem themselves.
What Are Possible Defenses against an Accusation of Receiving Stolen
Property?

There are a number of legal defenses that may be available to a defendant who has
been charged with the crime of receiving stolen goods. Whether a defense is applicable
to a receiver’s case will depend on the laws in their jurisdiction, the nature of the crime,
and the circumstances surrounding their individual case. Some examples of legal
defenses that are commonly raised in cases involving accusations of receiving stolen
property include:

 Incapacity;
 Entrapment;
 Intoxication; 
 Insufficient evidence;
 Lack of proof; and/or
 Insanity.