New York Felony Charge Defense

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There are three types of criminal charges in New York: violations, misdemeanors, and felonies. Felonies are the most serious of the three types, having the heaviest penalties and most serious consequences that could impact you for the rest of your life. Any crime that can be penalized by more than a year in prison is a felony, but more often than not they carry a range of sentence that includes multiple years in prison, large fines, and much more.

If you’re facing felony criminal charges, it’s important that you don’t hesitate to reach out to a Syracuse felony defense lawyer for help! When you call Cambareri & Brenneck, you can be confident that your case is in the hands of a capable and experienced team that has the knowledge and experience you need on your side. Our team has previously served the community as prosecutors, and that knowledge gives them a unique edge when it comes to developing a hard-hitting and impactful criminal defense. We firmly believe everyone deserves the best defense possible, we are relentless and fierce advocates for your rights throughout every step of your case.

Felony Charge Degrees

New York has five different felony crime “classes” which all felony charges can be sorted into, ranging from Class A to Class E. The class of felony your charges are listed under will determine the range of penalties you face if you’re convicted.

Felony crime classes in New York include:

• Class E: The least serious crimes, including DWI or DUI charges that cause injury or property damage, some theft crimes, assault, or aggravated harassment. Generally carry a sentence from probation up to four years in prison.
• Class D: More serious theft crimes, some types of fraud, robbery, burglary, possession of a controlled substance and assault can carry up to seven years in prison as a sentence.
• Class C: this felony class includes many of the D level offenses but there is an additional aggravating factor like a weapon was used, the victim was seriously injured, the was a large amount of a controlled substance or the theft was of a significant amount of money. This class of crimes can carry up to fifteen years in prison and unlike the lesser felony cases, probation may not be an option which means if convicted of a “C” felony a person must serve some time in prison.
• Class B: As with the “C” felony, typically these crimes include serious aggravating factors. Also, Manslaughter, Attempted Murder, Forcible Rape or predatory sex offenses are included in this class as well as the sale or trafficking of controlled substance.
• Class A: The most serious crimes in the law, including pre-meditated murder, Serious drug traffickers, significant amounts of drugs (varies by type of narcotic) predatory sex offenses against children and some Crimes of Terror. A guilty conviction often carries a sentence including life in prison without the eligibility of parole.

Felony criminal charges also carry additional penalties that most people don’t immediately think of. Convicted felons lose the right to vote, the right to own a firearm, and the right to work in certain employment capacities (including in government positions or occupations working with children). Those who have been convicted also may face added difficulty finding a place to live or even finding a job at all because of their prior history.