Grand Larceny Penalty and Law Defined by Attorneys Near Me

A petit larceny theft is primarily distinguished by the value of the items stolen. Petty larceny felony charges will be for under $1,000 in value, which the State must prove in court.

The potential jail time for a grand larceny crime in MS increases by either the value of the item, or if stolen from an established place of worship (i.e., church, synagogue, mosque). When it comes to grand theft cases in Mississippi, the answer to "can you go to jail for larceny" is most definitely.

A petit larceny felony charge will be for an amount of less than $1,000. This dollar amount threshold is the most significant distinction under Mississippi theft laws. The same defenses to larceny for the petty crimes are usable in grand larceny cases.

This includes a failure to prove the grand larceny value, or to disprove a defense of larceny by mistake. The Mississippi Supreme Court reversed a Lowndes County man's Grand Theft Auto conviction when the value of the truck was omitted by the District Attorney. Henley v. State, 729 So.2d 232 (1998).

Depending on the circumstances, a defense of lack of malicious intent to permanently deprive the owner may be the strategy of an experienced criminal defense law firm partner's tactic to win.

Mississippi Grand Larceny: MSA Code 97 17 41

Grand larceny; felonious taking of personal property; felonious taking of property of established place of worship; penalties

(1) Any person who shall be convicted of taking and carrying away, feloniously, the personal property of another, of the value of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or more, but less than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), shall be guilty of grand larceny, and shall be imprisoned in the Penitentiary for a term not exceeding five (5) years; or shall be fined not more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), or both. The total value of property taken and carried away by the person from a single victim shall be aggregated in determining the gravity of the offense.

(2) Any person who shall be convicted of taking and carrying away, feloniously, the personal property of another, of the value of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) or more, but less than Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00), shall be guilty of grand larceny, and shall be imprisoned in the Penitentiary for a term not exceeding ten (10) years; or shall be fined not more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), or both. The total value of property taken and carried away by the person from a single victim shall be aggregated in determining the gravity of the offense.

(3) Any person who shall be convicted of taking and carrying away, feloniously, the personal property of another, of the value of Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) or more, shall be guilty of grand larceny, and shall be imprisoned in the Penitentiary for a term not exceeding twenty (20) years; or shall be fined not more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), or both. The total value of property taken and carried away by the person from a single victim shall be aggregated in determining the gravity of the offense.

(4) (a) Any person who shall be convicted of taking and carrying away, feloniously, the property of a church, synagogue, temple or other established place of worship, of the value of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or more, shall be guilty of grand larceny, and shall be imprisoned in the Penitentiary for a term not exceeding ten (10) years, or shall be fined not more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), or both.

(b) Any person who shall be convicted of taking and carrying away, feloniously, the property of a church, synagogue, temple or other established place of worship, of the value of Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) or more, shall be guilty of grand larceny, and shall be imprisoned in the Penitentiary for a term not exceeding twenty (20) years, or shall be fined not more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), or both. The total value of property taken and carried away by the person from a single victim shall be aggregated in determining the gravity of the offense.

MS Code Section 97-17-41

Grand theft crimes in the Magnolia State are severely punished, but only if a person is convicted. Our award-winning trial lawyers are prepared to help defend your legal rights. Call today to for a consultation to 1-800-360-3847.

My partners, Kevin Stewart and the legendary senior partner, Vic Carmody, bring 68 years of combined criminal law experience to your defense, so read our attorney ratings that we have gathered over the years.

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Use this Helpful Link to explain the Mississippi Petit Larceny Definition: MS Code Section 97-17-43