Burglary Isn’t Worth Losing Half of Your Life to Imprisonment

Earlier this year in February, 38 year old Scott Hornick was convicted of two counts of conspiracy for an interstate burglary ring that apparently lasted six years.He had escaped from prison and along with his fellow co-conspirators, burglarized over 150 businesses in twelve different states, including New York. They would burglarize the businesses after hours in disguise, fill bags with merchandise then fence the stolen goods.

After the conviction, he faces a maximum sentence of 85 years of imprisonment, a $2,000,000 fine and 3 years supervised released. He may be asking himself, was it worth it? Burglary (also referred to as breaking and entering) can be generally defined as entering a building or premises for the purpose of committing an offense.

Degrees of Penalty

There are varying degrees of penalty connected to the felony offenses of burglary; following is a breakdown of some of the categories:

• Class D: (Burglary in the third degree): This can result in up to seven years imprisonment
• Class C: (Burglary in the second degree): This can result in up to fifteen years imprisonment
• Class B: (Burglary in the first degree): First degree burglary can result in up to twenty five years imprisonment and is the most severe of the felony offenses connected to burglary. Other offenses can be committed while a burglary is in process and can be charged separately.

If you or someone you know and care about has been charged with burglary or another theft crime in the New York City or surrounding area, you need to seek advice from an experienced and competent  New York City burglary defense attorney to avoid being convicted. At the office of Hochheiser & Hochheiser, LLP, we are experienced criminal defense lawyers including defense against burglary charges. Our firm's lead attorney, Lawrence Hochheiser, has been a member of the New York criminal defense bar for over 35 years and has been listed as one of New York's "Best Lawyers" in the last four issues of New York  Magazine.

To avoid being convicted of burglary and having to  face the possibility of imprisonment, heavy monetary fines, a criminal record and other potential negative consequences, we may be able to help you maintain your freedom and get reduced charges or possibly even have them dismissed altogether. 

Contact a New York Burglary Defense Lawyer at our office to set up a free consultation today.