A charge of knowingly concealing stolen property can happen to anyone, and it can happen without warning. For example, a roommate may suddenly show up with new electronic gear or a friend could ask to store some of their belongings at your home. The first notice of a problem may only occur when the police arrive. Here is what you need to know.

Know the Penalties
It is not only the thief who faces felony charges when the police discover the stolen property. Felony charges also take place when someone buys, sells, or hides stolen property valued at over $1000. The charges could include incarceration of up to five years and a maximum fine of $500.

The punishment only applies to people who the court finds guilty of the charges, so you need to immediately talk to a lawyer and begin planning your defense if an arrest or charge of concealing property occurs. The prosecution must prove the defendant knew their acquaintance stole the property.

Build Your Defense
You cannot rely on the willingness of the person who stole the items to clear your name. People will usually worry about their defense first and may even choose to accuse you. Defendants need to build a case based on their proof. The proof will depend on how you came into possession of the items.

Bring in witnesses that can attest to the fact that the property was in a shared space and you never used it or had any reason to question where it came from. Try to find a receipt that showed you bought the items and believed they were the property of the seller. Show any texts or emails that mentioned the items the other person wanted to store with you.

Admit Your Mistakes
Sometimes people make mistakes. You may have a viable defense, even if you knew the items were stolen and took in the property willingly. People with a history of mental illness may have enough proof to show their inability to make reasonable choices. Intoxication at the time of the agreement could also help, but only if you were unknowingly intoxicated by someone else.

Understand Their Requirements
The United States court system does not view people as instantly guilty. The prosecution must prove the defendant committed the crime. One way this may happen is by saying you should have known the status of the stolen property.

Certain signals arise when people receive stolen goods. The person may have dropped them off in the middle of the night and told you to mention the event to no one. The property may be in your possession but locked away from your sight. The person may be poor and then arrives unexpectedly to drop off luxury goods, high-priced tools, or other items for you to keep safe.

If your situation includes one of these suspicious events, you need to show why they do not prove your guilt. You may have heard your friend inherited money from a relative or that the items were a gift for someone and needed to stay secret. It is even possible that the person who left the property often acted unusual but had never engaged in criminal behavior.

You cannot expect that a denial from you will be enough to convince the court. You should also not rely on a clean criminal record to be enough proof of innocence. Contact us at the Kanehl Law Firm P.L.L.C. As criminal defense attorneys, we will work with you to build your case and give you the protection you deserve. Contact our firm today to get started.