View Full Version : Stealing motor vehicle
Chevyguy1269
Nov 4, 2013, 11:38 AM
Here's the deal I bought 2 stolen cars and switched vin numbers and got caught with them. My city charge is stealing motor vehicle and county 2 counts of removin/replacing vins. I have a clean record besides a dwi 10 yrs ago. I really messe up and wondering if I'm going to do any time. I live n Missouri and have a really great union job. I have a stay at home wife and 3 kids. Any help is appreciated thanks.
smoothy
Nov 4, 2013, 12:11 PM
Those aren't city charges... those are felonies. Several in fact... not just one. At a minimum you have two counts of recieving stolen property, and two violations of Federal law for altering a VIN number of a vehicle.......they will likely have a few more to toss in there along with two counts of grand theft auto.
You need a lawyer... you are going to jail for this. No two ways around that I don't see how you can NOT do time for this.
Chevyguy1269
Nov 4, 2013, 12:50 PM
I do have a high profile attorney out of stlouis. City has class c felonie an county has 3 class c fellonies me.
smoothy
Nov 4, 2013, 01:20 PM
Follow what your attorney says to the letter... he has access to all the details that we won't. Meaning he will know exactly what evidence they have... exactly what charges will be made... how agressive the local courts and DA are, and what if any plea deal can be made with the DA.
excon
Nov 4, 2013, 02:15 PM
Hello C:
I really messe up and wondering if I'm going to do any timeFor stealing a car???? Ok, TWO cars??? Nahhhh... You'll get a couple years probation.
excon
Chevyguy1269
Nov 4, 2013, 06:00 PM
Hello C:
For stealing a car? Ok, TWO cars? Nahhhh... You'll get a couple years probation.
That's what I'm hoping for. There's a lot of other bs going on and stlouis. Hoping they'll cut me a break knowing I have a clean record. I did seven days and stl city jail and it was f'd up. I don't want to go back.
AK lawyer
Nov 5, 2013, 06:23 AM
From what OP says, he is innocent of the theft charges. Perhaps that's simply wiggle-room with the intent to allow him to plead down.
smoothy
Nov 5, 2013, 06:30 AM
A lot depends on what State this happened in... some states I found altering VIN numbers will get you up to ten years on a single count alone... some are less, (Wyoming is 10, Mississippi and California were 5) there might be a few that give more.
He might not have stolen the cars... but he knew he received stolen property or why would he have altered the VIN numbers.
What really ends up happening depends on the skill of your lawyer, the competence of the Prosecution, and the attitude of the Judge.
smoothy
Nov 5, 2013, 06:47 AM
The legal codes are online to look up if you care to take the effort to look them up.
Recieving stolen property is just ONE of the charges....altering vin numbers not just once but twice to hide that crime is another. Here is ONE of the codes you said I was full of it on....care to read it?
31-11-103. Alteration of vehicle identification numbers; penalty.
(a) No person shall:
(i) Remove, change, alter or obliterate the vehicleidentification number of a vehicle with intent to defraud by altering ordisguising the identity of a vehicle; or
(ii) Possess a vehicle or vehicle component with knowledge thatit has a vehicle identification number which has been removed, changed, alteredor obliterated in violation of paragraph (i) of this subsection.
(b) A person who violates this section is guilty of a felonypunishable by imprisonment for not more than ten (10) years.
- See more at: http://statutes.laws.com/wyoming/Title31/chapter11#sthash.tOYG8VGH.dpuf
http://statutes.laws.com/wyoming/Title31/chapter11
ScottGem
Nov 5, 2013, 06:58 AM
I'm going to jump in here before this gets out of hand.
Smoothy is citing the law, but excon is going from experience. In my opinion this could go either way. This is not a case of joyriding. This is a case of deliberately modifying VINs to steal 2 cars. It will be up to the prosecutor how far to go with this.
On the one hand first offenders rarely get jail time, on the other this was not a spur of the moment thing and a prosecutor might want to make an example. I truly don't know which way it will go, but I would get a good lawyer.