Theft Case Results in Austin, TX

Charge

Forgery (Felony)

Location

Williamson County, 26th District Court

Allegations

The client was accused of forging checks from another person's account, a serious felony. We moved quickly to investigate and obtained prior statements from the account holder that did not implicate our client and pointed toward another individual. We compared those statements with the police reports and exposed inconsistencies in how the checks were attributed. When the complainant later became unavailable to testify, we pressed the evidentiary gaps with the prosecutor. The state dismissed the case.

Charge

Aggravated Robbery

Location

Travis County, 167TH DISTRICT COURT

Allegations

Police alleged the client and another person carried out an armed robbery at a residence, using force and taking cash and contraband. The complainant said they knew the client and identified him as a suspect. We scrutinized that identification, compared statements for inconsistencies, and pressed the gaps in the evidence. We also presented mitigation, including no prior record and steps toward treatment and housing. After sustained negotiations, the state agreed to deferred probation, avoiding prison and a final conviction.

Charge

Misdemeanor Theft

Location

Williamson County, CC5

Allegations

Store loss prevention detained our client after they exited through an outdoor section and accused them of bypassing the register. The client was asked to sign store paperwork and cooperated. When police arrived, the officer expressed doubt that the facts amounted to theft, but made an arrest at the store’s insistence. We highlighted the officer’s stated uncertainty and the prosecution’s heavy reliance on loss prevention, along with the client’s clean record. We presented these issues to the prosecutor and the State dismissed the case.

Charge

Theft (Class C)

Location

Hays County, Buda Municipal Court

Allegations

The client and friends visited a retail store where a small food item was opened and later set down and forgotten. They left, returned a short time later, and police were called, resulting in a citation for Class C theft. We got involved quickly, pressed for the evidence, and preserved a text message from another person apologizing for opening the item. We presented that context, along with the client's clean record, and questioned whether there was any intent to steal. The prosecutor agreed the case was not worth pursuing and dismissed it.

Charge

Engaging in Organized Crime

Location

Travis County, 460th District Court

Allegations

The client was stopped while driving a vehicle borrowed from a housemate, which officers later learned was stolen. Prosecutors folded the client into an organized crime case tied to a larger auto theft ring. We combed through the entire file and confirmed the only items pointing at our client were that one drive, ordinary phone contact with the housemate, and a misattributed social media photo. Records in the car, including identification, title, and VIN details, traced back to others. We confronted the state with these gaps and prepared to set the case for trial. The prosecution dismissed the charge.

Charge

Theft - Misdemeanor

Location

Travis County, County Court at Law #8

Allegations

Loss prevention detained our client after a shoplifting accusation, reported a brief struggle, and the client left before officers arrived. We engaged early, obtained the incident reports, and clarified what actually happened during the attempted detention. Our focus was keeping the case on the underlying misdemeanor theft and addressing concerns raised by the confrontation. We opened negotiations, emphasized accountability and cooperation, and pressed for a non-conviction resolution. The prosecutor agreed to deferred probation, keeping a conviction off the client's record while they complete the terms.

Charge

Misdemeanor Theft

Allegations

The client was arrested on a warrant that was issued for an attempted theft charge in 2013. The client was completely unaware of the outstanding warrant or charges. The client had two prior convictions, one for marijuana possession in 1994 and the other for assault family violence in 2000.

Charge

Burglary

Location

Williamson County, DC368

Allegations

Police accused our client of burglarizing a storage unit after he went there with a companion and property was removed. From the start he said he believed they were going to the companion’s unit and that he had permission to be there. We gathered the companion’s account to support that explanation and compared it against the reports and statements for proof of intent. The record showed real questions about what our client knew. We used those issues to press the prosecutor, who agreed to reduce the case to a lesser offense with credit for time served.

Charge

Theft (Misdemeanor)

Location

Williamson County, County Court at Law #2

Allegations

Police alleged our client committed misdemeanor theft after personal items left behind by a former roommate were sold at a pawn shop. We gathered paperwork from the shop, collected character letters, and had the client complete theft education and a cognitive skills course. We engaged the prosecutor, confirmed the property was returned to the complainant, and addressed restitution issues. With proof of return and mitigation in the file, we pressed for dismissal. The state agreed and the case was dismissed.

Charge

Robbery

Location

Williamson County, 277th District Court

Allegations

The case began as a robbery after a store incident. The individual left with a small amount of merchandise, returned it, then tried to drive away. A staff member grabbed onto the vehicle and was briefly dragged, and another reported a minor injury when the car door opened. We reviewed the reports and available video, which covered only the interior, and emphasized there were no threats or weapon and that any injury resulted from the attempted stop. Leveraging those weaknesses, we negotiated a reduction to a misdemeanor and removed the felony from consideration.