Tampa Carjacking Defense Attorney
Carjacking is a serious offense in Florida and it is punished as a first degree felony. If you have been charged with carjacking, you need an experienced Tampa criminal defense lawyer at your side before and during your potential trial. Since 1997, the defense attorneys at All Family Law Group, P.A., provide professional defense strategies to those charged with carjacking crimes. We urge you to reach out to us as soon as possible so that we can get a head start on your case and you do not answer question poised to you by law enforcement which may be used against you. The seriousness of the charges against you cannot be overstated and it is critical that you enlist the help of an experienced and knowledgeable carjacking defense lawyer in Tampa who will aggressively defend your rights both in and out of court.
Definition of Carjacking in Florida
According to Florida statute 812.133, carjacking is described as taking a motor vehicle with the use of force, violence, assault, or fear, with the intent to “permanently or temporarily deprive the person or the owner of the motor vehicle.” The penalties for carjacking in Hillsborough County, as a first degree felony, include up to 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000. Carjacking should not be confused with theft of a motor vehicle, which is generally grand theft of the second or third degree, is a non violent crime and is punished as a second degree felony (up to 15 years in prison) or a third degree felony (up to five years in prison), according to Florida statute 812.014. The difference is that during a carjacking, the perpetrator uses force or intimidation to take the vehicle from the occupant, whereas during car theft, the owner is not present.
Carjacking Using or Carrying a Deadly Weapon
The penalties are increased somewhat dramatically if the prosecution proves, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendant used or was carrying a deadly weapon during the course of the carjacking. If the defendant had a firearm or a deadly weapon, which is defined as virtually anything that could cause the death of another if used as a weapon, the sentence can go up to life in prison. Moreover, if the victim of the carjacking was seriously injured, additional charges may be filed, including assault and battery charges, which can add decades onto the carjacking sentence if the victim was seriously wounded, or claims to be seriously wounded.
Call an Experienced, Aggressive Tampa Carjacking Criminal Defense Lawyer
Make no mistake carjacking charges are as serious as they come, particularly when it is alleged that you had a deadly weapon on you, such as a firearm, club, knife, or even a rock picked up from the side of the road. Judges and juries frown upon carjacking defendants, even if there is incomplete evidence against them and prosecutors know this and will pursue the harshest penalties they can get away with. You need an experienced Tampa criminal defense attorney to counsel you before you speak with law enforcement. Call All Family Law Group, P.A. at 813-672-1900 or contact us by email for a free consultation to discuss your options. We will provide you with aggressive and reliable legal assistance. Click here for more information on additional criminal offenses.
