Conspiracy Charges
Criminal charges aren’t just brought forward when the intended crime is committed. Sometimes possible perpetrators can be apprehended and charged with conspiracy. This means that there was an agreement to commit a crime and some sort of action was taken – but the crime itself had not been yet perpetrated. Therefore, conspiracy charges allow a criminal to be caught prior to the main criminal act.
What is Conspiracy
The vital aspect of conspiracy is that the defendant and other person/parties had an agreement to commit a crime. It wasn’t just a suggestion or a hypothetical scenario. An agreement had to have been made. Furthermore, the agreement doesn’t have to be a formal contract, but rather a common agreement to commit a crime. Following the agreement, someone must have taken an overt act in order to achieve the final step. For example, prior to a robbery one of the people will stake out the place and make contact.
Conspiracy Conviction
If you have been accused of conspiracy, then it is incredibly important to seek the counsel of an experienced criminal attorney in California. A lawyer can present possible defenses like showing there was not an agreement or an overt act. If found guilty, the defendant faces a wobbler offense, meaning that they can receive a misdemeanor or felony conviction. Conspiracy charges can be accompanied by other ones, like aiding and abetting or accessory.
