Dismissal and Expungement Secured for an Animal Theft Case
Theft cases are something that we deal with more often than you think. And most of the time, the cases we receive are merely petty thefts.
However, a few days back, we received a call from a client about an animal theft case, which was about to go awry! Honestly, we at Logue Law Group were a little surprised initially, but when our Pittsburgh criminal lawyers heard of the charges being levied on our client, we decided to take prompt action.
So, how did the outcome go? And how did we secure a dismissal, along with an expungement? This blog will give you every little detail that you are looking for.
What are the Charges for Animal Theft in Pennsylvania?
You might not know this, but pets are considered ‘property’ in Pennsylvania. And pet theft cases are very rare in the state. In fact, such cases commonly come up at he civil court, that too, when a couple sharing a pet decides to get a divorce.
But if a pet theft issue comes up in the criminal court, it is treated as just a theft. Therefore, the person facing the charges will be charged with penalties that are associated with normal theft charges. And much like the penalties vary depending on the amount of goods stolen, it remains the same in case of animal thefts too. So, if you want a good defense, it is always preferable to have a seasoned Pittsburgh criminal lawyer by your side.
What Actually Happened?
So, our client went for a family outing with her husband, kids, parents, and in-laws. They were having a good time until they decided to visit the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), as they had plans to adopt a dog soon.
However, things didn’t turn out as expected. The mother-in-law of our client, without her knowledge, stole a dog from the organization! Now, when she got to know of the act, she decided to return the dog. And that’s where things took a turn. Although the dog was returned unharmed, our client was charged with animal cruelty, receiving stolen property, and conspiracy!
Added to that, the pup was a show-breed Golden Retriever, which cost around $4,000! This meant that our client was about to face a third-degree felony charge, for which she could face up to 7 years of imprisonment, along with a $15,000 fine!
How Did We Help?
The moment our Pittsburgh criminal lawyers heard of the charges, they sprang to take the necessary steps to save our client. Our first challenge was to convince the prosecutor that our client was oblivious of the whole act. Although it wasn’t a cakewalk, we finally achieved our first quest.
Our second challenge was to get the case withdrawn. However, this was something that we had to negotiate in exchange for our client’s completion of a community service for some minimal hours. We thought this part was going to be difficult, as our client could’ve denied participating in a community service. But thankfully, she agreed to the terms, which helped us get her case dismissed.
However, that’s not the end! Now that we acquired the dismissal, our Pittsburgh criminal lawyers decided to get this case expunged. And since our client had already completed her terms of community service, the expungement process went quite seamlessly.
Theft charges, no matter how minimal they seem, can tarnish your reputation and etch your name in a criminal record. So, if you ever face such charges, don’t take it lightly, and seek help from our Pittsburgh criminal lawyers right away! Call us at 844.PITT.DUI and schedule a free consultation today!