New Jersey Penalties For Theft Of Services (N.J.S.A. 2C:20-8) Charges
Theft of Services (N.J.S.A. 2C:20-8) in New Jersey can be prosecuted in a number of different ways.
First, there is the base allegation, that you stole services from a provider, without authorization or through fraud, deception, or some other means, and without compensation.
Charges for this conduct will be based on the value of the services stolen, and can be levied as anything from a disorderly persons offense (six months maximum if convicted) to a crime of the second degree (a sentence of between five and 10 years if convicted.)
Additionally, there are a variety of specific circumstances described in the statute, such as defrauding the phone company through use of a computer.
This is a crime of the third degree, and you can face three to five years if convicted.
The statute specifies that restitution of $500 will be paid to the service provider for every count, so for those who manufacture descramblers or write software designed to defeat filtering tools for cable or telecommunications, the financial penalties can be extremely steep.
Theft of Services is a complex statute that covers a lot of ground, and you should work with an attorney who can tease out the specifics of the allegations against you, then attack them head on.
Matthew Reisig has successfully defended clients in New Jersey for nearly 20 years.
Call 732-625-9661 today and talk to an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney for free.