If you look up the word mischief, you'll probably find it associated with innocuous-sounding terms like prank, petty annoyance, and playfulness. However, when it comes to property crimes, the term mischief has a more serious connotation. The state of New Jersey utilizes the word in its criminal code, where it takes on a meaning far from child's play. Here, criminal mischief refers to actions that involve defacing, damaging, destroying, removing, or tampering with someone's property, whether a neighbor's, employer's, landlord's, or government property.
Vandalize someone's vehicle, damage a boardwalk bench, throw a rock through a window, or tamper with a public works sign in any borough, township, or municipality in Monmouth County, and you might soon be paying an unpleasant visit to the Monmouth County Courthouse in Freehold Borough to answer to criminal mischief charges. Be ready to respond to ensuing penalties if found guilty, including possible fines and prison time. In the most serious cases, which involve acts that result in bodily harm or death, an individual found responsible could face a 10-year prison sentence and fines reaching $150,000. Needless to say, if you value your finances, freedom, and future, you would be wise to consider the potential consequences of criminal mischief-making in Monmouth County.
If the damage has been done, and you are currently the subject of an accusation, criminal charge, or investigation, there is hope. The Lento Law Firm Criminal Defense Team has a deep understanding of the New Jersey criminal mischief code and how various degrees of offenses can impact individuals based on the charges they face and the choices they make in their immediate next steps. We adeptly guide and advise those facing charges – from the most minor property damage to reckless or willful conduct resulting in someone's death – through their options and opportunities as they navigate the legal system. If you or someone you care about has been accused of or even found guilty of criminal mischief in Monmouth County, let us handle your case from here and, if possible, keep your record clear of criminal conduct.
Whether your case relates to conduct in Middletown Township, Howell Township, Marlboro Township, Manalapan Township, or any other township, borough, or municipality in Monmouth County, you have a chance to hit pause, make a smart decision, and proceed on a path least likely to alter your life in irreversible, unfortunate ways. Call us at 888-535-3686 or fill out our confidential consultation form now.
New Jersey's Criminal Mischief Offenses
New Jersey law defines criminal mischief broadly as applying to someone who:
“(1) Purposely or knowingly damages tangible property of another or damages tangible property of another recklessly or negligently in the employment of fire, explosives or other dangerous means [...] or
(2) Purposely, knowingly or recklessly tampers with tangible property of another so as to endanger person or property, including the damaging or destroying of rental premises by a tenant in retaliation for the institution of eviction proceedings.”
As you can see, the law puts an emphasis on doing something intentionally and willfully, not necessarily accidentally. However, it is very possible for criminal mischief charges to result from one's recklessness or negligence. If you disregarded a substantial risk or you neglected to be aware of a substantial risk, and this resulted in someone getting hurt, you could still face criminal mischief charges – and serious ones.
Degrees of Offenses
Disorderly Persons Offenses
New Jersey's criminal code specifically calls out varying degrees of criminal mischief offenses, starting with the designation of a “disorderly persons offense.” This is a lesser offense that involves damages under $500. Beyond this, the crime progresses to fourth, third, and second-degree charges.
Fourth-Degree Offenses
Very briefly, fourth-degree criminal mischief includes knowingly or purposely:
- Causing a loss between $500 and $2,000
- Interfering with equipment or property associated with an airport or any type of aircraft facility or grounds
- Tampering with public works property or equipment, like pipes or wires associated with power, water, electricity, or telecommunications
Third-Degree Offenses
Third-degree criminal mischief involves purposely or knowingly:
- Causing a loss of more than $2,000
- Committing a fourth-degree offense listed above that results in property damage or bodily injury
- Interfering with or causing a loss of research property or a research facility
- Disrupting a burial site or other site at which human remains are interred
- Substantially interrupting a public service such as power utility equipment, communication lines, or transportation services
Second-Degree Offenses
As it follows, offenses listed above that recklessly cause someone's death in Monmouth County or anywhere in the state, according to New Jersey law, may result in second-degree charges, the most serious of the criminal mischief charges.
Landlord-Tenant Disputes
It's worth noting that many property crimes charged under New Jersey's criminal mischief statutes (usually of a less serious nature) involve landlord-tenant disputes. If your situation involves damaging your rental property because you've been evicted, for example, it's important to know that in addition to court-imposed fines, you may also be required to compensate the property owner for damages you've caused. This is something to keep in mind as you weigh your options for defending yourself in Monmouth County Municipal Court.
Criminal Mischief Penalties in Monmouth County
Penalties for criminal mischief offenses follow the severity or degree of the offense, as described above. Even at the lowest level of a disorderly person's offense, punishments can still involve a painful hit to your bank account (up to $1,000) and even jail time (up to six months). But it's not only the financial penalty or lost time to consider. Even this “minor” conviction can have major life repercussions. Imagine what a criminal record could mean for future jobs, professional licensing, educational, and relationship opportunities. Your life, your vocation, your avocation, and your reputation are worth protecting.
Beyond consequences for disorderly persons convictions, penalties include the following:
Fourth-degree: fines up to $10,000 and up to 18 months in New Jersey State Prison
Third-degree: fines up to $15,000 and three to five years in state prison
Second-degree: fines up to $150,000 and up to 10 years in prison
Property Crime Penalties on the Rise
Echoing trends seen nationwide, New Jersey has seen an increase in property crimes since the start of the pandemic. This has resulted in the state taking a stiffer approach to penalties for these criminal mischief crimes, including burglary and trespassing offenses that result in damage or loss. This approach includes lengthier potential jail time and the ability for minors to be charged as adults in certain circumstances.
If you find yourself confronted with such charges in Monmouth County, and you need a legal defender who can put your strongest defense strategy forward, giving you the best possible chance of defeating the charges, remember that the experienced Criminal Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm is ready to help.
Criminal Mischief Student Defense in Monmouth County
Criminal mischief offenses on college and university campuses sometimes take the form of vandalism associated with graffiti or illegal acts associated with campus activism. No school is immune to the possibilities, and this includes Monmouth University in West Long Branch, Brookdale Community College in Middletown Township, and other institutions of higher learning throughout the Jersey Shore and beyond.
These incidents aren't just about young people behaving like young people or passionate students wearing their hearts on their sleeves. It's quite possible that students are also getting caught more easily or more frequently because of heightened campus surveillance and security, including more cameras in more places than they might see off-campus.
When these types of crimes are committed on school grounds, it's not uncommon for colleges to go a step beyond school-related hearings and proceedings and involve local law enforcement. They may do so out of a legal obligation or as a strategy to discourage future offenses and maintain reputational authority.
Given this information, students accused of criminal mischief and in need of college student criminal defense in Monmouth County require knowledgeable attorneys who can navigate the complexities of criminal mischief defense within the unique environment of institutions of higher learning. The Lento Law Firm Criminal Defense Team has many years of experience defending college students facing criminal mischief charges in Monmouth County and is ready to work with you or your college student.
Your Answer for Criminal Mischief Defense in Monmouth County
If you have been arrested or charged with criminal mischief in Monmouth County, reach out to the Lento Law Firm as soon as you can. Our Criminal Defense Team will work with you and your unique situation to build a strong defense that maximizes your chances of having your charges reduced or dropped. Whether you face second-degree charges or disorderly person penalties, we will fight to achieve the best possible outcome for your case. We understand the severity of criminal mischief charges as well as the complexities involved in navigating criminal proceedings in Monmouth County on and off college campuses.
Heed this word of caution, as well: Even if you believe that you have been wrongly accused, that you will not be convicted, or that your offense was minor enough to handle it on your own, consider the consequences if you are wrong. Consider not only the immediate outcomes but also the long-term damage that an inexperienced, weak, or absent defense strategy could bring about. Early intervention by the Lento Law Firm Criminal Defense Team can lessen or eliminate the penalties you will face and the impact that will have not only for you but also for those you care about, now and into the future. Call us today at 888-535-3686 or fill out our online form and tell us about your case.
