Being convicted of burglary could lead to serious consequences

There are many reasons that people go into other people’s homes and on their properties. Usually it is because they are invited to enter for one of a variety of different reasons.. This, of course, is perfectly fine for people to do. However, if an individual enters onto another person’s property or into their home without an invitation it can lead to serious consequences.

If an individual simply enters onto the property of another and does nothing else, then they could be charged with trespassing or another similar crime, but if they take something that they are not suppose to take while in another’s home then they could be charged with burglary. A burglary occurs if a person enters into a home without permission with the intent to commit a theft while inside.

People who are accused of these crimes are typically arrested and charged with a Class 2 or Class 1 felony depending on the type of property that they entered to take property. Upon conviction for a Class 2 felony, an individual can be sentenced to three to seven years in jail. If they are convicted of a Class 1 felony they could be sent to jail for up to 15 years. These penalties can also increase if a convicted individual has prior burglary convictions on their records. Fines for these crimes can reach upwards of $25,000 as well.

People who are convicted of burglary in Illinois can face very serious consequences. However, the key is that people must be convicted first before penalties can be imposed. If they are not convicted or convicted of a lesser crime then they may not experience the serious consequences mentioned above. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty, though, and there may be defenses or mitigating circumstances that may help an accused individual reach a favorable outcome. This is why many individuals who are accused of burglary and other crimes turn to qualified criminal defense attorneys for help.