Robbery Defense Lawyers in Bergen County NJ
Client Charged with Robbery, Case Dismissed
Facing robbery charges in Bergen County? The Tormey Law Firm can help.
In New Jersey, Robbery is a second-degree criminal offense that carries a sentence of 5-10 years in prison and fines of up to $150,000. Certain circumstances can raise the charge to a first degree offense, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and fines up of to $200,000. The charge also falls under the No Early Release Act, which requires that 85% of any prison sentence be served before a person can be released on parole. If a person is convicted and sentenced to 10 years, it will be at least 8 ½ years before they can get out of prison.
A recent client of the Tormey Law Firm was charged with Robbery after a person claimed that our client and two other people had beaten him and stolen his money. Our client had just given this person a ride in his car, and was adamant that he had not been involved in any robbery or assault. If convicted of the charges he faced, our client could have faced up to 15 years in a New Jersey state prison. When we appeared in court for the pre-indictment conference, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s office offered our client a plea of three (3) years in New Jersey state prison, 85% of the term must be served before becoming eligible for parole. Since our client was innocent, we rejected the plea offer and the case was marked for the grand jury to be presented for an indictment.
Following initial discussions with the prosecutor, our firm was able to get the charges downgraded to disorderly person’s offenses, punishable by up to 6 months in jail and fines of up to $1,000. The case was remanded back to the Fort Lee Municipal Court for disposition. In itself, this was a tremendous result and great success for our client and for the firm.
However, through further appearances at the municipal court, we were able to get the entire case dismissed following conversations with the prosecutor. In the end, our client who was looking at the possibility of decades in prison walked away from the case with no record.
Arrested for Robbery in Bergen County NJ? We can help
Any criminal charge is serious, and many offenses carry incredibly harsh penalties. Any person charged with a criminal offense should immediately consult with a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible in order to preserve their rights. Call the Tormey Law Firm today for a free consultation at (201)-330-4979.