Utah Aggravated Robbery Lawyer Salt Lake City

A Utah aggravated robbery conviction can result in a maximum penalty of up to life in prison. If you are facing aggravated robbery charges, you need a Utah criminal defense attorney with a track record of real results. For clients facing aggravated robbery charges, Stephen Howard has achieved outcomes ranging from outright dismissal to reduced misdemeanor charges. Mr. Howard has also successfully defended his clients' rights in other serious cases including aggravated kidnapping, aggravated burglary, aggravated assault, and many more. Contact us to schedule an initial consultation.

Elements of Aggravated Robbery in Utah

Under Utah's criminal laws, an aggravated robbery charge consists of all of the elements of an ordinary robbery combined with at least one aggravating factor. An ordinary robbery charge becomes an aggravated robbery if an enhancing element is proven. One of the more common enhancing element in a Utah aggravated robbery case is the threatened or actual use of a dangerous weapon in the course of committing the robbery.

Utah's criminal statutes governing aggravated robbery do not require that an actual weapon be present. Under Utah law, the element of using or threatening the use of a dangerous weapon can be satisfied by evidence that the person merely claimed to have such a weapon and threatened to use it. For example, putting your finger in your coat pocket and claiming to have a gun can be considered "threatened use" of a dangerous weapon.

A robbery charge can also be enhanced to aggravated robbery if "serious bodily injury" is caused to another person during the commission of a robbery. The term "serious bodily injury" is defined under Utah law as any "bodily injury that creates or causes serious permanent disfigurement, protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ, or creates a substantial risk of death."

A third possible aggravating element in Utah robbery cases involves taking or attempting to take an operable motor vehicle during he commission of a robbery. This could include so-called "carjacking" cases where the car itself is the object stolen. But it can also include cases in which a car is taken and used as a getaway vehicle.

Maximum Potential Penalties for Aggravated Robbery

When a criminal robbery charge becomes an enhanced aggravated robbery charge, the potential sentence increases from a maximum sentence of up to 15 for a second degree robbery to a possible life prison term for first degree felony aggravated robbery. The potential fine for either a second or first degree felony is the same - $10,000 plus a 90% surcharge.

Finding an Experienced Utah Criminal Defense Attorney

If you are facing aggravated robbery charges in Utah, the stakes are high. With a possible life prison term, defending an aggravated robbery charge requires experience, skill, and a thorough understanding of the criminal court system. Salt Lake criminal defense lawyer Stephen Howard has handled thousands of felony and misdemeanor criminal defense cases over the years, with a track record that includes not guilty verdicts, dismissals, and appellate reversals in some of the most serious criminal charges on the books in Utah. He has the experience to help you achieve the best possible outcome in your case.

Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation.