Criminal Law in Santa Clarita, CA
California’s criminal laws cover a broad range of illegal activities that are restricted by the government and are punishable by jail sentences and fines. For every criminal conduct, there are some criminal charges or accusations made by the government claiming that someone is committed a felony or a crime. The criminal charges are in Santa Clarita, California, are classified into three main categories: Infractions, misdemeanors, and felonies. However, the nature of the accusation defines the potential sanction and penalties including fines, probation, or imprisonment. In this article, we will talk about the criminal laws in Santa Clarita, California.
Criminal Laws in Santa Clarita, CA
Many criminal acts and felonies are committed by individuals in Santa Clarita, a city in California. They break the laws that adversely affect the development and growth of the country. Here are some criminal acts and their penalties in Santa Clarita, CA.
- Forgery Laws
Forgery refers to any conduct that involves forging, altering, exploiting, making, or utilizing a written paper, or signing with the name of another person without their knowledge. The document can be of any form including handwritten, typed, recorded, or printed. The most common example of forgery is doing a fake signature by using the name of another person on a legally binding agreement such as a will, contract, or a check. Forgery can also be attempted by making a new will and passing that document as the will of others. According to California Penal Code section 473, forgery is a misdemeanor crime in which a person has indulged in criminal activity with an intention to cheat the victim for financial or personal benefit.
Penalties for committing Forgery and Counterfeiting
The penalty for forgery and counterfeiting depends on whether the government charged the offender with a misdemeanor or a felony. If the criminal is charged with a misdemeanor, then he experiences a penalty of up to 1 year in state prison. California state laws, on the other hand, allow the government to impose a felony sentence of 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years in jail. Felony and counterfeiting in California are penalized by a two- to a four-year jail term. The state may also consider the offender’s criminal history and any aggravating factors when deciding whether the offender should serve his or her punishment in state prison instead of in county jail.
- Extortion Laws
Robbery and extortion are two separate felonies under California law. A robbery occurs when a person takes the property or possessions of another without the plaintiff’s authorization and while the victim is available. Extortion occurs when a plaintiff agrees or accepts something because he or she is blackmailed, and the assets can be taken from outside the plaintiff’s vicinity. According to the California Penal Code Section 518 PC, Extortion (also referred to as “blackmail”) is a serious crime that involves the use of violence or threats to force another person to provide property and money or the use of threat or power to compel a public servant to perform or overlook an official act or responsibility.
Penalties for Extortion
The penalty for a criminal act of extortion is dependent on whether the attorney charged the offender with attempted extortion or extortion. Under California Criminal Law, attempted extortion crime can result in a penalty or fine of up to $ 10,000, a year in county jail, both a year in county jail and fine, or a sentence of incarceration in jail. A felony charge in an extortion crime might result in a state jail for 2 to 4 years.
What to do if you’ve been a victim of Criminal Conduct?
If you feel that you’ve become a victim of any type of criminal activity, the attorneys in Cochran Firm Law are here to help you and represent your case in the state or the federal court. We seek justice and compensation for all your damages and injuries.