Sweetwater County Theft Defense Attorneys

Aggressively Defending You Against Your Accusations in Wyoming

Wyoming penalizes theft crimes based on the value of the property allegedly stolen. If you have been accused of theft or shoplifting in Sweetwater County, contact an experienced defense lawyer immediately for legal assistance. Our trial attorneys at The Law Offices of Hampton & Newman, L.C. will take a deeper look at your case to develop a personalized defense strategy that will achieve your goals and needs as a defendant. We take an aggressive approach in court and will put up a tough fight for mitigated or dismissed charges.

Schedule an initial consultation with The Law Offices of Hampton & Newman, L.C. to learn more about how we can defend you against your theft charges.

Felony & Misdemeanor Theft Crimes

Under Wyoming law, a person commits theft when they knowingly take, obtain, retain, or exercise control over another person’s property or services without authorization from them or by threat or deception, and they:

• intend to deprive the other person of the use or benefit of the property or services;
• knowingly use, receive, conceal, or dispose of the property or services in order to deprive another of its use or benefit; or
• demand anything of value as a condition for returning the property or services.

Crimes of theft are punishable as either misdemeanors or felonies based on the value of the property allegedly taken. Misdemeanor theft is theft of property valued at less than $1,000 and is punishable by six months in prison and $750 in fines. Some examples of misdemeanor theft include auto theft (depending on the value of the car) and obtaining property by false pretenses.

Felony theft is theft of property worth $1,000 or more and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and $10,000 in fines. Examples of felony theft are carjacking, robbery, and burglary. Theft of a firearm is also typically charged as a felony.

Common Defenses Against Theft Charges

When defending against theft charges, one of the most common defenses is the lack of intent. In theft cases, the prosecution must prove that the accused had a deliberate intention to deprive the owner of their property or services permanently. If the defense can demonstrate that the accused did not intend to steal—perhaps they mistakenly believed they had a right to the property or planned to return it—this lack of intent can lead to a reduction or dismissal of charges. For example, if someone borrows an item and fails to return it on time, but without the intent to steal, it may not constitute theft under the law.

Another powerful defense is mistaken identity. Theft cases often rely on witness testimony or surveillance footage, both of which can be unreliable or subject to misinterpretation. A person might be wrongly accused if they resemble the actual perpetrator or if they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. By challenging the accuracy of the identification process, whether through alibi evidence, cross-examining witnesses, or presenting alternate explanations, the defense can raise reasonable doubt about whether the accused was actually involved in the theft. This strategy is particularly effective when the evidence against the accused is circumstantial or weak.