Carson City Criminal Defense

Carson City is considered safer than just 33% of U.S. cities. However, the chance that someone will become a victim of a violent crime like murder, rape, or aggravated assault is only slightly over 1 in 300. If you are charged with a crime, it is crucial to hire a skillful Carson City criminal defense lawyer with trial experience. William J. Routsis is an experienced attorney who has an outstanding record of favorable results in the courtroom. He can help you at any stage of the criminal justice process.

While we can handle any type of misdemeanor or felony charge, the overview below provides some examples of the cases that commonly arise.

In Nevada, you can be charged with a misdemeanor for possessing up to one ounce of marijuana without an authorized prescription. However, if you knowingly or intentionally possess a controlled substance without a lawful prescription, you can be charged with a felony. If you knowingly or intentionally sell, make, or import into Nevada huge quantities of Schedule I or Schedule II controlled substances, you can be charged with drug trafficking. The penalties may include incarceration, fines, drug education treatment, and probation, but they will vary depending on the classification of the drug and your prior offenses, if any.

In order to be charged with domestic violence, the perpetrator and the victim must have a familial, domestic, or intimate relationship. You can be charged with domestic violence if the alleged victim is your spouse, ex-spouse, dating partner, former dating partner, family member by marriage, family member by blood, or roommate. You should not assume that a conviction is assured, though. There may be strong defenses that a criminal defense attorney in Carson City can raise against domestic violence charges, such as self-defense, consent, or showing that the alleged victim is not credible.

In Nevada, people who are at least 21 are forbidden from being in control of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or with a blood alcohol concentration of .08% or greater. You can also be charged with DUI if you have a blood alcohol concentration of .08% or greater within two hours of driving. Defenses that we may be able to raise, depending on the circumstances, include an improper administration of field sobriety tests, a lack of a reasonable suspicion to pull you over, or a faulty breathalyzer or other chemical test.

In Nevada, violent crimes are taken seriously by prosecutors and can carry harsh penalties. They include assault, battery, kidnapping, robbery, homicide, and arson. What needs to be established depends on the particular crime that is charged. Murder can be in the first or second degree, with first-degree murder involving any willful, deliberate, or premeditated killing. First-degree murder may also be charged if somebody is killed while you perpetrated a serious crime like burglary, rape, home invasion, robbery, or kidnapping, even if you did not plan to kill anyone. You can be charged with second-degree murder for other homicides or any killing that was caused by your acts if you were so reckless that death was a foreseeable consequence. Voluntary manslaughter can be charged for a killing committed impulsively after you had been a victim of a serious, highly provocative injury. Carson City criminal defense attorney William J. Routsis takes pride in his perfect record in homicide trials.

Generally, white collar crimes are non-violent crimes motivated by financial gain. They include bribery, mail fraud, wire fraud, credit card fraud, money laundering, embezzlement, identity theft, forgery, RICO violations, conspiracy, and computer crimes. Often, white collar crimes are perpetrated by business employees and professionals. Securities fraud, for example, occurs when a deception is purposefully made in order to get an unfair advantage in violation of federal or state securities and trading laws. Another common white collar crime is embezzlement, which can be charged if you wrongfully appropriate money or property of which you are in legal possession. Fraud is another white collar crime that may be charged against someone who makes intentional misrepresentations.

In Nevada, theft crimes include robbery, burglary, and larceny. Generally, larceny is charged if someone intentionally takes or carries away another party’s property. For example, if you shoplift a gadget from a store, you can be charged with larceny. Burglary occurs if you go into a building or dwelling, intending to perpetrate a felony or get property or money through false pretenses. You can be charged with robbery if you unlawfully took personal property from someone else through threat of injuries, violence, or force.

If you are charged with a crime in Carson City, it is important to retain a trustworthy and experienced criminal defense attorney who knows how to protect your rights. Mr. Routsis has trial experience as a criminal defense attorney throughout Nevada, handling misdemeanor offenses like marijuana possession as well as felony offenses like murder. Call us at (775) 337-2609 or complete our online form to start discussing your situation.