Scranton Criminal Defense Attorney

Criminal charges are not like personal injury or workers’ compensation cases. When it comes to personal injury, you’re suing or being sued for monetary compensation. There’s rarely the question of whether or not someone can lose their freedom or go to prison. With criminal charges, prison time is one of the main punishments. If you ever find yourself facing a criminal charge, you need a criminal defense attorney to defend you.

If you try to face a criminal charge without an attorney, you may receive the maximum punishment, which can include fines that will bankrupt you and prison time that will keep you from living your life. Even worse, once you’re released, your arrest will always follow you. Ensure you have a criminal defense attorney at your side during your day in court. The attorneys at Scartelli Olszewski, P.C. have the experience needed to defend your freedom against a criminal charge.

What Types of Criminal Charges are There?

There are two types of criminal charges.

• Felony charges: These are some of the most serious offenses someone can commit. They typically come with a punishment of prison time, anywhere from seven to twenty years.
• Misdemeanor charges: These are non-violent offenses that can result in a variety of punishments from fines, time in prison, or home imprisonment.

These can then be broken down into three different variations known as degrees.

Different Degrees of Felonies and Misdemeanors

Both felonies and misdemeanors are ranked in terms of degrees. There are three levels, with 1st being the worst crimes someone can commit of either type, and 3rd being the least severe. These degrees are necessary when a crime can have multiple variations.

For example, assault and murder are crimes where the circumstances are different depending on the degree. A crime that includes planned violence usually necessitates a felony of the second or first degree, but something that happened in the moment or on accident is the third. These degrees inform juries and other members of the court as to how serious the criminal charge is.

With these degrees, experienced criminal defense attorneys–like those at Scartelli Olszewski, P.C.–have an idea of what they’re up against in the courtroom.

Types of Criminal Charges

There are a significant number of crimes that someone can commit to receive a criminal charge. Crimes are divided into blue-collar crime and white-collar crime, and there are many different examples of both.

• Blue-collar crime: These are crimes committed by individual people, and inflict injuries of physical, emotional, or monetary means against other individuals.
• White-collar crime: These are crimes committed by individual people and/or entities. The victim is usually a wide range of people or society at large.

Examples of Criminal Charges

Criminal charges cover a wide and vast array of actions and consequences. There are whole families of criminal charges, where the crimes are similar or deeply related. These include:

• Drug crimes: Making, selling, distributing, possessing, and using illegal drugs
• Theft crimes: Stealing from someone’s person, home, place of work, vehicle, or bank accounts
• Violent crimes: Murder, RICO crimes, and assault
• Sex crimes: Sexual assault, prostitution, and public indecency
• Driving violations: Traffic violations and drinking while driving
• Fraud: Identity theft and embezzling

Depending on the severity and the victim, any of these crimes can be blue-collar or white-collar, with some specific examples only being felonies or only misdemeanors.

Why You Should Call the Criminal Defense Attorneys at Scartelli Olszewski, P.C.?

Scartelli Olszewski, P.C. is your Pennsylvania criminal defense law firm. We will help you protect your rights and achieve the best possible outcome. Whether you’re facing a misdemeanor charge or a more serious allegation, the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre lawyers of Scartelli Olszewski, P.C. are prepared to handle your defense. We’ll help you navigate the criminal justice system and stand by you every step of the way, from seeking participation in pretrial diversionary programs to negotiating with prosecutors and representing you at trial.

Scartelli Olszewski, P.C.’s criminal defense practice is led by Shareholder Peter Paul Olszewski, Jr., who has been practicing criminal law for more than 25 years and previously served as District Attorney of Luzerne County and a Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge. Our experienced team of lawyers provides advice and representation in a wide range of criminal matters including:

• Assault
• Burglary
• Theft
• Robbery
• Domestic violence
• Drug crimes (possession, delivery, conspiracy)
• Drunk driving (DUI, DWI, DAI)
• Expungements and pardons
• Federal and white collar crime
• Fraud
• Homicide
• Murder
• Juvenile offenses
• Public corruption
• Sex crimes
• Weapons offenses

Contact our criminal defense attorney today to learn how we can fight on your behalf.