Charged With a Felony in Denton or Surrounding Area?
Felony charges are nothing to scoff at. In Texas, felonies happen to be a very serious criminal offenses. A felony comes with a penalty that is at least 6 months in a state jail facility. That is what distinguishes felonies from misdemeanors. If someone faces a felony crime, then the incarceration will take place either in a prison or a state jail facility in Texas. In addition to incarceration, anyone convicted of a felony will face hefty fines as well. There are significant collateral consequences that come with being labeled a felon. A felony conviction makes a person ineligible for probation from a jury. That legal fact usually causes prosecutors to refuse a request for a probation offer during plea bargaining.
Under the Habitual Violator Statute, a felony conviction can be used to raise the punishment of a currently pending felony. This type of enhancement can result in minimum sentences of 25 years in prison and maximum sentences of life in prison for offenses that do not normally carry such harsh punishments. A felony record can make finding employment and housing extremely difficult.
Potential Felony Conviction Penalties in Texas
Texas has various felony types – five, to be exact. Many felonies are more serious in comparison to their counterparts. They are categorized based on their perceived severity. Capital felonies, such as Capital Murder are the most serious felonies in Texas. The penalty is life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Felonies of the first-degree are one step below capital felonies. This kind of felony comes with a minimum of five-year prison sentence. For the most part, a first-degree felony conviction is punishable by between 5 and 99 years of incarceration or, life imprisonment. Further, you may be subjected to as much as $10,000 in fines. Examples of a first-degree felonies are murder, aggravated arson and aggravated robbery. Subcategories of first-degree felonies have specific statuses that we typically referred to as “aggravated felonies.” Examples of aggravated felonies are drug offenses that have 10-year minimum sentences, or in some cases, 15 year minimums.
Facing Potential Felony Charges? Contact Attorney Daniel K. Peugh Today
Second-degree felonies are the next level down. This kind of felony includes offenses such as aggravated assault, robbery, and manslaughter. Anyone with a second-degree felony conviction can face between 2 and 20 years of prison time. Further, they may be subjected to a fine up to $10,000.
Those who are charged with a third-degree felony will face a minimum of 2 years in prison and a maximum of 10 years. A fine of up to $10,000 can also be ordered. Stalking and Tampering with Evidence are examples of third-degree felonies.
The final level involves state jail felonies. Possession of a Controlled Substance in an Amount of Less Than 1 Gram is a very common state jail felony. Anyone that receives such a conviction could spend anywhere from 6 to 24 months in a state jail facility, and pay as much as a $10,000 fine.