Shoplifting & Theft Charges in New Jersey

Amber Heard’s name was recently all over the media. But does anyone remember Winona Ryder, Johnny Depp’s leading lady who predated Heard by almost two decades? Yea, that Winona Ryder … Beetlejuice. The Heathers. Edward Scissorhands. And then … she disappeared - for a long while. It took ten years for her to finally peak after her reappearance, this time with a little production on Netflix by the name of Stranger Things. What happened to her? Where did Winona go? What does this have to do with shoplifting and theft charges in New Jersey?

Crime & Punishment

Well, in December of 2001, Winona Ryder was arrested for allegedly shoplifting over $5000 of designer merchandise from a Beverly Hills Saks Fifth Avenue store. For something so seemingly innocuous (relatively-speaking, on the spectrum of criminal offenses), a full year of litigation finally culminated in a conviction of vandalism, shoplifting, and grand theft, resulting in probation, community service, fines, restitution to Saks Fifth Avenue, and court-mandated counseling. She remained on probation for three more years, until December 2005, when her felonies were finally reduced to misdemeanors.

Her career suffered greatly, and she disappeared from the silver screen for several years thereafter.

NJ Consequences

In a previous blog, we discussed disorderly persons charges in New Jersey, which simply refers to a misdemeanor (vs. felony) charge. In New Jersey, shoplifting goods (less than $200) is classified as a disorderly persons offense. If you were to be charged, this may still carry some weight in terms of employment, volunteering, immigration, foster parenting, and other scenarios requiring a background check. There may be probation, community service, fines, and jail time involved, with penalties increasing for repeat offenders. Despite its age, this memo, issued by the state, offers a succinct overview and breakdown of shoplifting charges.

Don’t let one bad decision ruin your life such as shoplifting and theft charges in New Jersey. The first step to recovering from this lapse in judgment is to hire an experienced and skilled defense attorney. Contact us today to schedule your consultation