St. Petersburg Robbery & Burglary Defense Lawyer

Burglary and robbery are serious crimes that can carry heavy prison terms. The skill and experience of your legal counsel can make a difference in the outcome of your case.

Tim Hessinger is a former prosecutor with experience defending against these charges, and takes cases in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee and Pasco counties.

What is Burglary?

Many people misunderstand this charge. Burglary is defined as entering a car, home or business with the intent to commit a crime therein. You can be charged with burglary for sneaking or breaking into a building even if nothing was stolen.

Types of Burglary Charges

We handle all levels of burglary and related offenses:

• 2nd-degree burglary (entering a home)
• 3rd-degree burglary (entering a business or automobile)
• 1st-degree burglary battery (committing a battery or assault during a burglary)
• Criminal trespass
• Receiving stolen property

Our number one goal is avoiding prison. In negotiations with prosecutors, we seek to reduce first-degree burglary to lesser felonies, or a low-level burglary to misdemeanor trespassing. Depending on criminal history and the circumstances, you may qualify for diversion programs that keep this off your record entirely.

What is a Robbery?

An armed hold-up is a major crime, but a charge of robbery does not necessarily involve guns and ski masks. Robbery is taking the property of others by force or threat — a purse snatching, mugging or carjacking, even shoplifting that involves a struggle with security staff can be charged as a robbery. Robbery is always a felony, and scores mandatory prison on the sentencing guidelines.

In these cases we first attempt to impact the charging decision and then, if robbery charges are filed we evaluate the case for all possible defenses (i.e. self defense, witness credibility issues, etc.). If none of these defenses are viable we often pursue a departure from the sentencing guidelines. This involves the presentation of mitigation evidence to the court.

What are the Penalties for Robbery Charges?

• Armed robbery with a firearm carries a 10-year mandatory minimum prison term — 20 years if the gun is discharged, and 25 years to life if the victim suffers great bodily harm
• Home invasion, entering a residence by force, armed and with intent to rob, is a first-degree felony with a life sentence

Enlist Skilled Defense in St. Petersburg & Pinellas County!

Robbery and burglary charges are also subject to steep enhancements for previous convictions. Depending on priors and actual violence, you may face 10 years, 20 years or life as a Violent Career Criminal, Habitual Violent Offender, Habitual Felony Offender or Parole Release Offender.

Attorney Hessinger has handled many robbery and burglary cases, both while he served as a prosecutor and as a defense attorney. He knows how police investigate these crimes and how prosecutors build their cases. This experience enables our team to spot weaknesses in the case that create leverage for our clients.

The Law Office of Timothy Hessinger can carefully scrutinize the physical evidence, conflicts in witness testimony, witness credibility issues, constitutional rights violations, and police misconduct to maximize your chances of obtaining the best possible outcome.