Grand larceny of motor vehicle; penalty

Grand Larceny of Motor Vehicle Explained by Nevada Lawyer

Nevada protects the rights of property owners by imposing penalties upon individuals who interfere with property rights. For example, within Nevada’s Penal Code in Title 15, there is an entire chapter devoted to defining different kinds of property crimes. This chapter, Chapter 205, is further divided into subcategories including a subcategory for larceny.

In the larceny subcategory, different kinds of larceny offenses are defined including grand larceny and petit larceny. There are also statutes addressing specific kinds of larceny, such as grand larceny of a motor vehicle. If you are accused of this offense, you need to understand the elements of the crime a prosecutor has to prove in order for you to be convicted. You also should understand the defenses available to you and the penalties that could be imposed.

LV Criminal Defense has extensive experience providing representation to defendants accused of larceny and other property crimes. When you’ve been charged with grand larceny of a motor vehicle, you should contact our Vegas criminal defense attorneys so you can get the help you need from a knowledgeable advocate to fight charges and maximize the chances of a favorable outcome. Give us a call today to find out more.

Nevada Revised Statute Section 205.228: Grand Larceny of a Motor Vehicle

Nevada Revised Statute section 205.228 is the state within Chapter 205 that defines the offense of grand larceny of a motor vehicle. According to the relevant law, you can be convicted of the offense of grand larceny of a motor vehicle if you intentionally steal, take, carry away, drive away, or otherwise remove a motor vehicle that is owned by another person. In addition to proving that you intentionally took away a car that someone owned — by any means — the prosecutor also must prove that you acted intentionally since intent is an element of this criminal offense under N.R.S. 205.228.

If you are convicted of grand larceny of a motor vehicle, you will generally be convicted of a category C felony offense. However, if the prosecutor is able to successfully prove that the value of the motor vehicle that you took away from its rightful owner totaled at least $2,500, then you can be convicted of a category B felony offense. Most vehicles are worth more than $2,500, so there is a very good chance that a prosecutor will be able to show that you took a more valuable car.

If the prosecutors prove the vehicle you took was $2,500 or more in value, you can face a minimum of one year imprisonment for conviction for a category B felony under N.R.S. 205.228. The maximum term of imprisonment in the state prison after conviction for this offense is 10 years. You could also be fined up to $10,000 for grand larceny of a motor vehicle, and this fine is separate from other penalties.

Finally, N.R.S. 205.228 indicates that a defendant convicted of grand larceny of a motor vehicle can be ordered to pay restitution. This means that in addition to paying a fine up to $10,000, you could also be required to provide full and fair compensation to the driver of the vehicle that you took to put that driver back into the position he’d have been in had you not stolen the vehicle.