What is Criminal Damage?
According to Arizona Revised Statute 13-1602, you can be convicted of criminal damage if you damage, deface, or tamper with property that belongs to another person.
The penalties for a criminal damage conviction vary depending on the value of the damage:
- $10,000+ worth of damage – Class 4 Felony – up to 3.75 years in prison.
- $2,000 – $10,000 worth of damage – Class 5 Felony – up to 2.5 years in prison.
- $1,000 – $2,000 worth of damage – Class 6 Felony – up to 2 years in prison.
- $250 – $1,000 worth of damage – Class 1 Misdemeanor – Up to six months in jail.
- Less than $250 – Class 2 Misdemeanor – Up to four months in jail.
If a criminal damage charge is designated as a domestic violence offense, in addition to the penalties for the criminal damage, you could lose the right to own firearms and the conviction may be used against you in child custody proceedings. Robert A. Butler is an experienced criminal damage defense attorney who has handled hundreds of these cases.
