Theft can be charged under multiple subsections of the New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice. N.J.S.A. § 2C:20-4 deals specifically with “theft by deception,” i.e., theft affected by lies or misinformation. In a casino, this kind of theft can be charged in many situations.
If you or a loved one was charged with theft by deception in an Atlantic City casino, call the Law Offices of John J. Zarych today. Our Atlantic City theft by deception in a casino attorneys represent those accused of crimes both large and small in Atlantic City and throughout South Jersey. To schedule a free consultation on your charges, contact our law offices today at (609) 616-4956.
Theft by Deception Charges in New Jersey
In New Jersey, theft by deception is defined under N.J.S.A. § 2C:20-4. This statute makes it a crime to “obtain property of another by deception.” The law goes on to give three core acts that could constitute “deception” under this statute:
- Giving a “false impression”
- Keeping the victim from info that would affect the transaction at hand
- Failing to correct a false impression
This means that you can be charged with theft in many situations that go beyond simple lying, especially since “false impression” is very broad.
Fortunately, there are exceptions that do not count as deceit under this statute. These include things like “puffing” for sales purposes or exaggerating in a way that an ordinary person would understand. Additionally, lies that have nothing to do with the transaction and would not affect the alleged victim’s judgment should not lead to criminal charges, e.g., using a fake name.
Charges for theft by deception are not automatically different from other theft charges. Instead, theft is usually charged as a different level of crime depending on the value of what was stolen. The following price ranges equate to the following crime levels and potential penalties:
- For theft under $200, the crime is charged as a disorderly persons offense punished by up to 6 months in jail and fines up to $1,000.
- For theft of $200 or more but less than $500, the crime is charged as a fourth degree crime punished by up to 18 months in prison and fines up to $10,000.
- For theft of over $500 but less than $75,000, the crime is charges as a third degree crime punished by 3-5 years in prison and fines up to $15,000.
- For theft of $75,000 or more, the crime is charged as a second degree crime punished by 5-10 years in prison and fines up to $150,000.
When Can You Be Charged with Theft by Deception in a Casino in NJ?
Situations involving theft by deception can be tricky to explain. The fact that the theft involved some sort of lie or misrepresentation will usually mean that the charges will come under the theft by deception statute, but charges may come under other theft statutes if the theft by deception statute was not violated. Regardless of which theft statute the crime is charged under, taking property or money that does not belong to you is theft, and you can face charges regardless of what subsection the charges fall under.
Because of this, some of the following situations may attract charges for theft by deception, but they could ultimately be charged under another subsection, or the theft charges under different subsections will merge. Regardless, the following are potential examples of theft by deception in an Atlantic City casino:
- Taking advantage of reserved and paid services by giving a false name
- Accepting free drinks or services on someone else’s tab without their consent
- Convincing someone to give you chips or tokens by lying that you work for the casino
- Convincing casino staff to give you anything of value through a lie or false impression
- Falsifying or forging tickets, vouchers, or reservations for paid services
- Charging services to someone else’s room by convincing casino staff that you are the person staying in that room
There are plenty of other potential situations where theft by deception could take place in an Atlantic City casino. Remember that even if the lie does not meet the definition of theft by deception, police, and prosecutors may use another theft statute to charge you with taking property that does not belong to you or stealing services.
Talk to an attorney if you think that your situation does not violate the theft by deception statute. Our attorneys may be able to fight the charges against you and get the charges dropped or dismissed.
Atlantic City Theft by Deception in a Casino Lawyers Offering Free Legal Consultations
If you or a loved one was charged with theft by deception in an Atlantic City casino, contact our Atlantic city casino theft by deception attorneys today. The Law Offices of John J. Zarych offer free legal consultations to help defendants understand the charges against them and learn more about how they can fight the case. For help with your charges, contact our law offices today at (609) 616-4956.
