Felony Charges in Las Vegas, Nevada.
What is a felony charge?
A felony charge is any criminal charge that has a penalty of at least 1 year in prison.
Many felony charges can be negotiated so that there is no prison time, but they are still considered felonies because if you were found guilty of the charge at trial, you could be sentenced to at least 1 year in prison.
Common examples of felonies include narcotics/drug possession charges, battery domestic violence, DUI, hit and run, robbery, murder, or crimes that have a high financial cost or theft.
If you are facing felony charges in Las Vegas, call us at 702-432-1000 to speak with a criminal defense attorney directly. The initial consultation is free.
Felony as companion charge
Another important thing to know - felonies may also be companion charges.
You can be charged with 2 or more felonies for the same kind of act. Common examples of companion charges would be unlawful possession of firearms, conspiracies, grand larceny, or burglaries.
For companion felonies, the risk of going to trial and losing is higher because the judge can sentence you for each charge if found guilty, even though they all came from the same event.
The good news is, if there is a flaw with the underlying charge, then the companion charge may also be defective.
How long does a felony stay on your record in Nevada?
It depends on the type of felony. All felony charges can be sealed, but the amount of time that must pass before a person is eligible for a record seal is based on the type of felony they pled guilty to.
Many felonies can be reduced (or downgraded) to a misdemeanor.
Keep in mind, Nevada doesn't have record expungement, only record sealing.
The penalty for Category E
Category E felony carries 1 - 4 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
Exceptions do exist, and the additional civil penalty could be $25,000 to $250,000. Call our office for details.
Examples of category E felony include: soliciting a child for prostitution, elections fraud, violation of campaign contribution limitation, welfare fraud, graffiti crimes.
Probation is very common for category E felony charges. Although category E felony charges are not as serious as the felonies category A to D, they often carry immigration consequences (deportation) and loss of civil rights.
The penalty for Category D
Category D felony carries 1 - 4 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
However, there are cases when the fine can go up to $10,000 and even up to $50,000. Call our office for details.
Examples of category D felony include unpaid casino markers, offering false evidence, pandering/pimping, forgery involving computers, credit card fraud, forgery.
The penalty for Category C
Category C felony carries 1 - 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
However, there are cases when the fine can go up to $50,000 to $100,000. Call our office for details.
Examples of category C felony include bribery of public officers, illegal gun possession, child abuse/neglect, domestic violence, computer crime, buying or receiving stolen goods, stalking.
The penalty for Category B
Category B felony carries 1 - 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
However, there are cases when the fine can go up to $500,000. Call our office for details.
Examples of category B felony include publicly traded securities, treason, conspiracy to commit fraud, murder, theft larceny, robbery charges.
The penalty for Category A
Category A felony carries a death or life in prison.
In some cases, category A felony charge allows parole and, in some cases, not.
Usually, there are no fines involved. However, there are exceptions, and the penalty can go up to $500,000.
The death penalty is possible when the victim dies and only after substantial procedural hurdles.
Examples of category A felony include:
- 1st and 2nd-degree murder.
- Substantial harm to another person.
- Possession of large amounts of drugs.
- Sexual assault.
- 1st degree of kidnapping.
Category A felony is regarded as the highest level of felonies.
Felony charges (in custody)
If the defendant is in custody, a 48-hour hearing and a 72-hour hearing will be held to determine whether the defendant can be released and how much the bail bond will be.
After these hearings, if the defendant remains in custody, then a preliminary hearing will be held within 14 days of the 72-hour hearing.
The preliminary hearing is very important.
If you or your family member has a preliminary hearing coming up, you must find the best felony attorney as soon as possible to represent you. We invite you to call us at 702-432-1000 to discuss your case.
Preliminary hearings can be very fact-intensive, and to get the best result, your criminal defense attorney will need time to research the facts of the case.
Felony charges (out of custody)
When the defendant is out of jail, the court may set an arraignment. The purpose of an arraignment is to provide the accused with a reading of the crime with which he or she has been charged.
After the arraignment, the court will then set a preliminary hearing date to determine whether there is probable cause to move the case into district court.
In district court is where a jury trial takes place.
At what court would a felony trial be held in Nevada?
Felony trials are held in the District Court of the County, where charges were filed. For example, if the felony charge was filed in Clark County, the trial will be held in the Clark County District Court in Las Vegas, at 200 Lewis Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89101.
We can help
Negotiating a felony case can be complicated, and the consequences can be enormous. However, there may be legal and factual defenses available. Finding an excellent criminal defense attorney to represent you is your best option to avoid severe punishment.
Call us at 702-432-1000 to schedule a free and confidential consultation either over the phone or in the office.
Attorneys at Heshmati & Associates represent clients in Las Vegas and throughout the surrounding areas of Nevada.
