Las Vegas Felony Defense Attorneys
In Nevada, felonies are serious crimes that are punishable by more than one year in prison. Nevada law organizes felonies into categories from Category A felonies to Category E felonies. Category A felonies are the more serious felonies in Nevada and Category E felonies are the least serious.
- Category A felonies in Nevada include first-degree and second-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, using or promoting the use of a child in pornography, sexual assault, and battery with intent to commit sexual assault that results in substantial bodily harm.
- Category B felonies are crimes such as reckless driving involving “serious bodily harm” or death, possession of child pornography (first offense), assault with a deadly weapon, and battery with intent to kill.
- Category C felonies can include buying or receiving stolen goods (if the value is $250 or more but less than $2,500), violating an order of protection (or restraining order), and stalking by use of the internet, text-messaging or similar method.
- Category D felonies are involuntary manslaughter, third-degree arson, and manslaughter.
- Category E felonies include criminal gang recruitment by an adult and soliciting prostitution involving a child.
Penalties If Convicted Of A Felony
The minimum prison sentence for any felony in Nevada, unless otherwise specified in the statutes, is one year. A defendant can be sentenced to a prison term between one year and the maximum sentence permitted by the Nevada statutes.
Category A felony
A Category A felony in Nevada is punishable by:
- the death penalty
- life in prison without parole, or
- life in prison with a possibility of parole.
Category B felony
For a Category B felony, the court can impose a maximum range of 8 to 20 years in prison. Some Category B felony sentences can also include a fine.
Category C felony
A court can sentence a defendant convicted of a Category C felony in Nevada to a maximum range of 2 to 5 years and a fine up to $10,000.
Category D felony
For a Category D felony, the maximum sentence range is 19 months to 4 years and a fine up to $5,000.
Category E felony
The possible sentence for a Category E felony is from 1 to 4 years, but Nevada law requires the court to suspend the sentence and impose probation or one year in jail and probation, except in certain circumstances.
Criminal Statute of Limitations
Nevada law requires that a criminal prosecution begin within a certain amount of time after a crime is committed or believed to have been committed. The criminal statute of limitations limits the length of time the state can wait before filing charges against a person. The length of time varies for different crimes and some crimes, such as murder, have no time limit. For more information on the criminal statute of limitations, see Criminal Statute of Limitations in Nevada.
The Value of Good Representation
A felony conviction becomes part of your permanent criminal record. If you are convicted later of another felony, the court can consider your prior conviction and impose a harsher sentence in the new case. Being a convicted felon can hurt you when you are looking for a job and applying to rent a house or apartment. Convicted felons lose the right to vote, to carry firearms, and to obtain certain professional licenses.
An experienced attorney can determine whether you have any grounds for dismissal of the charges against you, explore plea options, or represent you at trial. Only someone familiar with the local criminal court system and cases like yours will know how good your chances are for a favorable outcome in court or at the negotiating table. A knowledgeable attorney will take all of this into consideration, assist you in making decisions about your case, and protect your rights.