Felony Defense Lawyer
A Felony is any crime punishable by imprisonment of over one year in a State Facility.
New York classifies Felonies by letter:
A Class "E" Felony is an offense punishable by incarceration of up to 4 years in prison.
A Class "D" Felony is an offense punishable by incarceration of up to 7 years in prison.
A Class "C" Felony is an offense punishable by incarceration of up to 15 years in prison.
A Class "B" Felony is an offense punishable by incarceration of up to 25 years in prison.
A Class "A" Felony is an offense punishable by incarceration of up to 25 years to Life in prison.
In addition to these classifications, a felony may be designated by the State Legislature as a "Violent Felony" Offense, in which case the term of incarceration in certain circumstances is mandatory and definite. Examples of these types of offenses include: Manslaughter, Burglary, Robbery and Weapons Possession, as well as others.
Drug Related Felonies have their own sentencing guidelines and the potential for diversion to certain programs which may aid the offender in addressing problems and avoiding long term incarceration where certain conditions are met.
If an individual has a prior felony conviction or convictions, that individual may be designated as a "Prior Felony Offender" (PFO), a "Prior Violent Felony Offender" (PVFO) or even a "Persistent Felony Offender". Each of these designations carries the potential of enhanced penalties, including the potential of an indefinite sentence with lifelong incarceration as a possibility for a Persistent Offender.
The Law Office of Craig E. McElwee handles all levels of Felony Offenses, from DWI to Homicide.
Your initial consultation, up to 90 minutes, is always free.
