Maryland Malicious Destruction Laws & Penalties
A property damage crime like
malicious destruction is more serious than you
may think. And an arson charge is a major
felony with a strong prospect of jail time if you
are convicted of the offense.
Anytime you go before the
Maryland criminal courts as a defendant, it is quite
intimidating. Whether this is your first exposure to
the system or if you have been to court before,
facing criminal charges can be frightening and is
always stressful.
Criminal acts of property damage in Maryland are
typically the result of either personal disputes or
general mischief.
If you were in an argument with someone, and lost
your temper and did some damage to their property,
you could be facing this charge. Examples of this
could be keying someone's car, destroying or
disposing of property that was in a disputed
location, road rage, or things getting broken in the
heat of an argument or domestic dispute.
In many of these cases, we can argue that any
damage was accidental, and restitution is a more
reasonable result, and the criminal offense should
be dropped.
Of course, if you are being accused of
something you didn't do, we need to challenge
the prosecution to provide real evidence that this
happened, and get your charges dismissed. A mistaken
identity or a willful false report by someone who is
mad at you is also a real possibility in these
cases.
Vandalism can also be a form of malicious
destruction under Maryland law.
Malicious Destruction - Laws & Penalties
Under Maryland law if you
willfully destroy, injure, or deface the property of
another, you can be charged with this offense. The
sentence you will face depends on the value of
property damage.
If the value of property damage
is less than $500, the charge is a misdemeanor
and carries a potential 60 day jail sentence and
$500 fine.
If the value is more than $500,
the sentence is elevated to up to 3 years and fines
of $2,500.
Keep in mind, the court can
also require you to pay for the damage. This is
called restitution and is not part of the
fines ordered at sentencing.
Ref:
Maryland Statutes Title 6-3
Maryland Arson Laws
First Degree Arson
First degree arson involves
maliciously burning or setting fire to a dwelling
or place where someone is present.
This is a serious felony
and is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and
$50,000 in fines. This offense can even apply to
burning your own property.
Second Degree Arson
If you set fire to or burn a
structure, you can be charged with this
felony. Second degree arson is punishable by up
to 20 years in prison and fines of $30,000.
First Degree Malicious Burning
If you set fire to the personal
property of another and it results in damage valued
at more than $1,000, you could be facing 1st
degree malicious burning charges. This offense
carries a potential 5 year prison sentence and
$5,000 fine.
Second Degree Malicious Burning
If you set fire to someone
else’s property and the damage is valued at less
than $1,000, you could be charged with this
misdemeanor offense. If convicted you would face
up to 18 months in jail and $500 in fines.
Ref:
Maryland Statute Title 6-1
Get The Legal Advice You Need on a MD Criminal
Charge
Any criminal charge is a difficult situation for
you. It may feel like
no one is interested in hearing your side of the
case. We are. We want to hear all about your case
and we want to help you during this time. Contact us
to find out how we can help you through this, and
put this unfortunate legal problem behind you.
Please contact us today to find
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