General Grand Larceny

Published on: December 19, 2017

How Far Must You Go Before the Police can Charge You with a New York Attempted Grand Larceny or Attempted Petit Larceny

Larceny crimes are fairly straight forward in New York State much like any other jurisdiction. If you steal property, irrespective of its value, and your intention is to keep it for yourself or from the rightful owner or possessor, you have committed either a Petit Larceny or a Grand Larceny as set forth in Article 155 of the New York Penal Law. Similarly, if you possess that property, knowing it is stolen and with the same intent to take it or prevent the rightful custodian from getting it back, then you are guilty of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property pursuant to Article 165 of the New York Penal Law.

The question or issues posed in this blog entry is how far you must go in your theft or possession of stolen property for a judge or jury to find you guilty of the same. In other words, what steps must you take or how far must you go to violate the law as either an attempted offense or a completed crime?

Published on: June 18, 2017

I was Arrested for Shoplifting and Credit Card Fraud at Woodbury Commons in Central Valley: Crimes, Charges and Consequences

By Jeremy Saland

Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Central Valley, Orange County, is an outlet center that opened in late 1985 and has since expanded repeatedly over the years. The outlet center now how has about 220 stores and is one of the largest outlet centers in the country. The outlets are not only a destination for locals in Orange, Rockland and other nearby counties, but also for tourists visiting New York City, and City residents.

The size and nature of the complex attracts countless shoppers every year in addition to shoplifters and those using forged credit cards or other means of theft. Those arrested for these theft-related crimes will be prosecuted in Town of Woodbury Justice Court, and the County Court for Orange County in Goshen, NY if the case is indicted. This blog will address some of the crimes and criminal offenses prosecutors in the Orange County District Attorney’s Office can pursue for a shoplifting arrest or misuse and fraud involving credit cards.

Published on: June 4, 2017

Are Any and All New York Theft and Larceny Crimes Eligible for Expunging or Sealing: NY CPL 160.59

By Jeremy Saland

Theft crimes in New York are found in a variety of statutes. Some are clearly designated theft offenses such as either Petit Larceny and Grand Larceny. Similarly, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property and Theft of Services relate directly to a larceny or theft crime. However, there are many other crimes in the New York Penal Law that are not clearly theft offenses. For example, Scheme to Defraud does not have “theft” or “larceny” in the title of the statute, but it too is a theft and larceny crime. With this in mind, it begs the question, if you were convicted of a New York Penal Law Article 155 crime, New York Penal Law Article 165 crime, New York Penal Law Article 140 crime, New York Penal Law Article 160 crime or a even an Article 1800 New York State Tax Crime offense that related only to a theft are larceny are you guaranteed eligibility pursuant to New York Criminal Procedure Law 160.59 to have your criminal conviction “expunged” or sealed assuming you have met the other strict eligibility requirements?

Published on: May 30, 2017

Does New York Seal or Expunge Felony Convictions and Arrest for Embezzlement Grand Larceny

By Jeremy Saland

Can I have my felony conviction sealed in New York? Will New York expunge a felony regardless of the arrest charge? Do criminal records – misdemeanor or felony – remain open to the public forever? What if I am convicted of a non-violent theft crime? Is there a way to screen or hide this record or conviction? More specifically, what if I stole or embezzled $7,500.00, $75,000.00 or even $750,000.00 from an employer? Now that you have asked the questions, the answer to these inquiries are all found in New York Criminal Procedure Law 160.59.

NY CPL 160.59, New York’s sealing statute, does not provide for expunging or expungement of criminal convictions, but allows people with certain eligible criminal convictions to have those cases sealed on and from their records. Subject to many relevant factors and mandatory requirements that can be vetted with your New York expungment or sealing attorney, Grand Larceny, New York Penal Law sections 155.30, 155.35, 155.40 and 155.42, is a statutorily eligible offense.

Published on: May 2, 2017

NYC Bergdorf Goodman Shoplifting Arrest in Excess of $1,000 Ends in Dismissal for Saland Law Client

By Jeremy Saland

When you are a professional and your career depends on your name and character, the mere allegations of an arrest can be devastating. An allegation is often the equivalent to a conviction. Whether you work in banking and finance, you are regulated by FINRA or the FDIC, you are an attorney of physician that maintains a professional license, or the product you sell is “you,” an arrest in New York for a crime of fraud, deceit or theft is life altering in the most adverse way. Recently, a client arrested for stealing clothing from Bergdorf Goodmans in Manhattan faced such a embarrassing dilemma when she was accused of shoplifting gloves retailing for well north of $1,000.00. Technically a felony shoplift as a class “E” felony of Fourth Degree Grand Larceny, New York Penal Law 155.30, our client was fortunate enough to receive a Desk Appearance Ticket (DAT) for Petit Larceny, a class “A” misdemeanor. While the criminal complaint ultimately reflected Penal Law 155.25 and Penal Law 165.40, the latter offense is Fifth Degree Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, the crimes our client faced technically involved felonies due to the value of the clothing our client was accused of shoplifting after our client exited the store without paying for the property.

Despite the magnitude of potential felony charges, the uncertainty of what might happen to our client’s otherwise pristine and clean record, the New York criminal defense attorneys and shoplifting defense lawyers at Saland Law PC delivered the best result possible for our client in this New York City shoplifting arrest. No, our client did not receive a Disorderly Conduct or ACD on the PL 155.25 and PL 165.40 arrest, but instead the case was both dismissed and sealed unconditionally.

Published on: April 27, 2017

Conspiracy to Exchange and Convert United States Treasury Checks, 18 USC 371: $2 Million Fraud Arrest Ends in Supervised Release and No Prison

By Jeremy Saland

There are few things more frightening then when you are taken into custody by special agents of the United States government and charged with Federal crimes in a District Court. Whether it is the FBI, Secret Service, IRS or any other agency and whether it’s the Eastern District of New York or the Southern District of New York, the fear and anxiety is equal. Will there be bail? If so, how can you post it and who will sign for you? Will there be conditions of your release? What are the sentencing guidelines that you will face? Is there a mandatory minimum and what is the maximum term of imprisonment you can be held in a Federal prison? Will you seek to cooperate and secure a 5K1 letter from the United States Attorney’s Office? There are countless questions you will likely have that relate to many factors ranging from whether you were initial a subject or target, the length of the investigation and what, if any, steps you and your Federal criminal defense lawyers took to address these countless issues and concerns with the AUSA prior to your surrender.

The fears and concerns identified above were only a few of those faced by a Saland Law PC client who was accused of being a key player in scheme whereby stolen and fraudulent tax returns in excess of $2 million were deposited into various banks accounts unknown to any party and immediately withdrawn to the benefit of those engaged in the scam against the United States Treasury and IRS. Accused of, among other crimes, Conspiracy to Exchange and Convert United States Treasury Checks, 18 USC 371, our client faced up to five years incarceration and a $250,000 fine. Concerning to our client, the United States Probation Officer calculated and asserted that our client should receive 30 to 37 months imprisonment. Complicating our client’s predicament further, our client was not a United States citizen and only a few months earlier became a father.

Published on: January 21, 2017

Felony Manhattan Shoplifting Arrest Reduced to Non Criminal Violation: From PL 155.30 to PL 240.20

By Jeremy Saland

Theft and larceny related arrests in New York involve crimes that not only have immediate impacts in terms of incarceration and criminal charges, but have the collateral consequence that complicate careers and jobs. For example, if you are an employee of New York City, your arrest whether by Desk Appearance Ticket or due to a felony allegation, will trigger a formal action on the part of the administration. What is of critical importance, and something that your criminal lawyer should stress to you, the ultimate outcome of your case. Yes, an arrest is bad, but a felony or misdemeanor conviction is worse. Far worse. Fortunately for a client of Saland Law PC, an arrest for Fourth Degree Grand Larceny, New York Penal Law 155.30, resulted in a non criminal violation of Disorderly Conduct. Checking off the box of avoiding a criminal conviction, our client’s shoplifting arrest from Century 21 involving just shy of $2,000.00 in clothing will ultimately be sealed without any public record.

Published on: November 26, 2016

I Didn’t Steal the Property, But I Failed to Return It: When Possessing Lost Property is a Crime in New York

By Jeremy Saland

Most people rightfully think a larceny or theft occurs when they wrongfully and without permission steal or take someone’s property. Usually, but not always, that person refuses to return the property or simply doesn’t tell the victim that he or she took it in the first place. Simply, the rightful owner lost his or her television, mobile phone, car, or good old fashion cash forever. However, in New York, a theft or larceny need not be a permanent taking. In fact, it need not be a taking at all in the common way we think about such acts. According to the New York Penal Law and the plethora of cases that analyze and interpret it (please note the shout out to the “Three Amigos”), a police officer can arrest, District Attorney prosecute and judge or jury convict you of a crime if you fail to return property. How you ask? New York Penal Law 155.05(2)(b) specifically addresses how one can be charged with a Petit Larceny or Grand Larceny Crime in New York when one acquires lost property.

Published on: November 6, 2016

How Prosecutors Can Use a Layperson and Not an Expert in Proving New York Grand Larceny and Stolen Property Cases

By Jeremy Saland

Sometimes in a New York Grand Larceny and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property arrest or trial, a criminal defense attorney challenges the value placed on property that his or her client allegedly stole. For obvious reasons, this is done to potentially reduced the degree and severity of the charged crime and to limit exposure to restitution if and when there is a conviction. This defense may be part of or distinct from an overall plan of attacking the prosecutor’s case, but one step in a defense that should not be ignored. Because of the critical importance value has to any theft, larceny or stolen property arrest, indictment or trial, I have dedicated many blog entries to this subject. This particular entry will examine how the District Attorney can present evidence to a jury as to value without an “expert”. In other words, for example, does law enforcement need the antique car dealer to testify that the vehicle in question is valued at $50,000.01 to elevate the crime from a Third Degree Grand Larceny to a Second Degree Grand Larceny? Is there another means by which evidence can establish this value and therefore the crime of PL 155.40 as opposed to PL 155.35? If so, what are those means?

Published on: November 2, 2016

I Didn’t Know Stealing an iPhone or Smart Phone was so Serious: Felony and Misdemeanor Crimes of Cell Phone Theft in New York

By Jeremy Saland

No, there is not a crime of cell phone theft, iPhone stealing or smart phone heist in the New York Penal Law. However, merely because there is no specific statute addressing cell phones, mobile phones, smart phones and other personal devices such as iPads does not mean there is no crime or crimes that occur when one is stolen. On a base level, whenever you steal anything – from a pen or shoelace to a million dollars in cash or a diamond engagement ring – a larceny has occurred. Irrespective of value, the theft is a Petit Larceny and the possession of the property is Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fifth Degree as set forth in New York Penal Law 155.25 and New York Penal Law 165.40 respectively. These offenses are both class “A” misdemeanors.

Putting behind the misdemeanor crimes the NYPD will arrest you for and a District Attorney will prosecute, the following entry will briefly examine some crimes for cell phone theft routinely seen by New York criminal lawyers and defense attorneys throughout New York City District Attorney’s Offices in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx as well as other prosecutors’ offices elsewhere in suburban counties such as Westchester, Rockland, Putnam and Dutchess.