A Rockland County man was arrested this month on a series of burglaries. The Mahwah Police Department nabbed the suspect, Jorge Lopez, when he was allegedly riding away on a stolen bike. The officers found jewelry, and other items allegedly in his possession. During one of the burglaries, Mr. Lopez allegedly stole shoes after he lost his Nike slides.
Mr. Lopez allegedly broke into numerous cars. He then went into a nearby home by climbing through a bathroom window. The owner of the home found a half-empty can of soda on the dresser. The police charged Mr. Lopez with burglary, theft, and criminal mischief. He was also charged with under 50 grams of marijuana as well as drug paraphernalia. Allegedly at the time of his arrest Mr. Lopez had a small amount of marijuana on his person.
Mahwah Burglary Attorneys
If you or a loved one is facing burglary, theft, criminal mischief, under 50 grams of marijuana, and/or drug paraphernalia charge(s), then please promptly contact our criminal defense law firm. Our criminal lawyers are ready to represent you or your loved one.
A burglary charge, N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2a, is a third (3rd) degree crime. It is defined as when a person with the purpose to commit an offense:
- Enters a research facility, structure, or a separately secured or occupied portion thereof unless the structure was at the time open to the public or the actor is licensed or privileged to enter.
A burglary charge can be upgraded to a second (2nd) degree charge if:
- A defendant purposely, knowingly, or recklessly inflicts, attempts to inflict or threatens to inflict bodily injury on anyone; or
- Is armed with or displays what appear to be explosives or a deadly weapon.
A theft by unlawful taking charge can range from a disorderly persons offense (misdemeanor) all the way up to a second degree indictable (felony) depending on the amount that was stolen. Mr. Lopez will likely be charged with a third (3rd) degree theft by unlawful taking since he was allegedly found with jewelry, a pair of shoes, and a bike.
A criminal mischief also ranges from a disorderly persons offense to a third degree indictable. Depending on if any of the alleged items that were stolen were damaged and the extent of that damage to those items will determine if Mr. Lopez is charged with a disorderly persons offense or an indictable.
Finally, a under 50 grams of marijuana charge, as well as a drug paraphernalia charge are both disorderly persons offenses. If convicted of one of these charges, then a defendant can be sentenced up to six (6) months in the Bergen County Jail (located in Hackensack, NJ) and/or a fine of up to $1000.00.
At the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall, we have ten (10) criminal defense attorneys, and our credentials include the following:
- Seven (7) were former prosecutors
- Three (3) of which were former assistant county prosecutors
- One was the head of the Major Crimes Division,
- Another was the head of the Trial Team, and
- The last one was the director of the Gun, Gang and Drug Task Force
- Three (3) were former municipal court prosecutors
- One Certified Criminal Trial Attorney
- Certification comes from the Supreme Court of New Jersey
- Less than 1 percent of attorneys in this state hold that distinction
- Selected to the National Trial Attorneys Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorney and Top 40 Under 40
- Multiple attorneys with superb Avvo ratings
- Selected to Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers Rising Stars list here in New Jersey for this year
- Only 2.5 percent of attorneys in this state are selected to this list