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Criminal Law/felony receipt of stolen property

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Expert: Jack Toomey - 10/23/2006


Question
What constitutes felony receipt of stolen property?  Would possessing someone's credit cards with a fake ID fall under that category?  What happens if you don't know what you have is stolen?   What is the likely max. sentence for a first time offender?   Does past juvinile convictions/trouble play into a judges decision?  

Answer
  My state has no such law as "felony recepit" of stolen property however I took the time to simply look up a crime like that using Google and found that some states have such a law.  You have to understand that there are fifty states and each state has its own laws.  It appears that "felony receipt" of stolen property would be when a person is in possession of stolen property that is above a certain dollar amount (depending on the state).  Whether the person knows it or not does not seem to matter because the person should realize that no one is going to give them or sell to them any stolen property when the price is far below what is market value.  

  As it says in my profile I do not make any guesses about prison sentences.  There are too many variables that go into sentencing that I stopped doing that long ago.  You should be asking your attorney that question.  Yes, of course, prior convictions, would come into play at sentencing.

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Jack Toomey

Expertise

Please do not ask me about potential jail sentences that you, your friends, or family might receive in court. There is no way for me to know that. Only a judge could answer a question like that. I am also NOT a probation officer or parole officer so I cannot answer questions that relate to parole or probation. Also please keep in mind that every state has different laws. If you are planning to ask a question about a specific law or criminal charge that pertains to your state only it could be difficult to answer. I also cannot give you legal advice on what to do or what not to do in court. Retired police officer with 26 years experience. Worked in the patrol division as well as over 14 years in the detective bureau. Investigated a wide range of crime such as murder, rape, robbery, theft, fraud, missing persons, and other very sensitive crimes. I am available to answer your questions about criminal law and especially as it applies to police work. I taught at the police academy for several years and am especially knowledgeable about search and seizure. Any question about criminal law is welcome! Please don't ask me to do your homework or ask me questions that obviously come from your teachers or professors. I also do not do online interviews or surveys. Young people need to gain face to face interviewing skills. Local police officers usually are very agreeable to assist in these assignments.

Experience

I am a retired police officer with 26 years experience. I investigated almost every type of crime including murder, rape, theft, missing persons, fraud, and domestic abuse. I am very knowledgeable about search and seizure and taught at the police academy for several years on a variety of subjects. I can answer questions that a lot of attorneys cannot since they do not have "street experience".

Education/Credentials
Bachelor of Science degree in Criminolgy from the University of Maryland.

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