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Phoenix Aiding & Abetting Attorney

Have you been charged with aiding and abetting in Phoenix, AZ? If so, you could be facing severe criminal penalties if you are convicted. It is crucial to seek prompt legal advice to protect your rights and fight the charges.

At Orent Law Offices, we focus our entire practice on Arizona criminal law. Our criminal defense lawyer, Craig Orent, has over 34 years of experience in criminal law and is a Certified Criminal Law Specialist with extensive experience in criminal matters.

Our law firm has handled thousands of criminal cases. We have helped clients achieve the best possible results, from favorable plea deals and dismissals to winning verdicts in court.

Contact our office at (480) 656-7301 to schedule a free consultation with our Phoenix aiding & abetting lawyer.

How Our Phoenix Criminal Defense Lawyers Can Help if You Are Charged With Aiding & Abetting in Arizona

 

Arizona laws regarding accomplice, accessory, and aiding and abetting are confusing. All these crimes are closely linked because they deal with helping someone commit a crime. Police officers and prosecutors are not interested in ensuring you understand the charges against you or your defense options. You need an experienced defense lawyer to help you.

Attorney Craig Orent has numerous awards from national organizations, including the American Society of Legal Advocates, the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, and the National Trial Lawyers.

When you hire our award-winning Phoenix criminal defense lawyer, you can trust we will:

• Investigate the charges against you, including evaluating the prosecution’s evidence against you
• Explain the applicable laws and the potential penalties you face for a conviction of aiding and abetting
• Develop a defense strategy and gather evidence to support the defense
• Aggressively negotiate fair terms for a plea deal if going to trial would not be in your best interest
• Challenge the prosecution’s evidence and file motions to suppress evidence, if appropriate
• Take your case to trial and fiercely argue the facts of the case to create reasonable doubt that you committed the crime

The best way to protect yourself in Phoenix, Arizona is with the help of a defense attorney. Call Orent Law Offices to schedule a free case evaluation with our experienced Arizona aiding & abetting attorney.

How Does Arizona Define Aiding & Abetting?

Arizona Revised Statute §13-301 defines an accomplice as someone who:

• Commands or solicits another person to commit a crime
• Provides the opportunity or means for someone to commit a crime
• Aids, agrees to aid, counsels, or attempts to aid someone in planning or committing a crime

In Arizona, aiding and abetting in a criminal offense is known as accomplice liability. An accomplice must intend to facilitate or promote the commission of a crime.

You do not need to have planned the crime, but you must have knowingly assisted or facilitated the crime in some way. An accomplice can be charged with a crime if they decide to aid and abet without any forethought.

Is There a Difference Between Accomplice, Accessory, and Aiding and Abetting a Crime?

Some states separate the crimes of aiding and abetting, accessory, and accomplice. However, Arizona does not have separate laws for aiding & abetting and accomplice. Instead, you can be charged with being an accomplice if you aid or abet before, during, or after the offense.

An accessory is someone who helps a person before or after a crime. For example, an accessory may hide a criminal from the police after they have committed a crime.

Aiding & Abetting Are Included in Many Criminal Statutes

You will find aiding and abetting listed in many criminal statutes in Arizona.

For example, ARS §28-708 defines the crime of racing on highways. The statute makes knowingly aiding or abetting someone in committing this crime a Class 2 misdemeanor. Another offense within 24 months is a Class 2 misdemeanor.

Another example is ARS §28-693, which is the reckless driving statute. The statute makes knowingly aiding and abetting someone in committing this crime a Class 2 misdemeanor. Another violation within 24 months is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

In summary, you could be charged under a specific statute for aiding and abetting. Otherwise, the prosecutor may charge you for aiding and abetting under the statute for an accomplice. In either case, the penalties for a conviction can be severe.

What Are the Penalties for Aiding & Abetting in Arizona?

You could be charged with a felony or a misdemeanor, depending on the facts of your case.

The criminal penalties for aiding and abetting in Arizona depend on the crime committed and its severity. They also depend on the person’s role in aiding and abetting the principal (i.e., the person who committed the crime) and their level of involvement. A judge will consider specific circumstances in your case, such as mitigating and aggravating factors.

In some cases, a person who aids and abets a crime could face the same penalties as the person who committed the crime. As a result, you could face jail time, fines, probation, and other punishments.

Examples of Aiding and Abetting in Phoenix, AZ

Some examples of actions that could lead to aiding and abetting charges include:

• Obtaining a weapon for someone to use during a crime
• Serving as a lookout to protect the person during the crime
• Driving a get-away car
• Providing financial assistance, information, or support to someone committing a crime
• Allowing someone to use your vehicle to commit a crime
• Giving someone the security code to your office so they can rob it after hours
• Influencing or asking someone to commit a crime
• Agreeing to help someone commit a crime
• Obtaining the floor plans for a building someone intends to rob
• Advising a person on the best way to commit a crime
• Providing tools or equipment to commit a crime

Aiding and abetting does not require you to be present at the crime scene for you to be charged with a criminal offense. All you need to do is help with the commission of the crime to be charged with aiding & abetting.

Are There Defenses to Aiding and Abetting Charges in Arizona?

Your attorney analyzes the facts and evidence in your case to determine the best defense strategy to use. You may have one or more defenses to aiding and abetting charges, including:

• You were unaware that the person intended to commit a crime. For instance, perhaps a person asked to borrow your car to go to the store when they intended to rob a bank.
• You were coerced or under duress when you aided and abetted someone to commit a crime. For example, perhaps someone threatened you at gunpoint to give them information to commit a crime.
• You withdrew from the commission of the underlying crime, told the principal you would not assist them, and tried to stop the commission of the crime.
• The role you played was that of a bystander who did not aid with the crime. You had no legal requirement or authority to prevent or stop the crime from occurring.
• You were in the wrong place at the wrong time. You did not provide aid or encouragement, and there is no evidence you intended to participate in or encourage someone to commit a crime.
• The principal offender falsely accuses you of aiding and abetting to lessen their criminal liability for the charges.
• There is a lack of evidence proving the elements of aiding and abetting.

Being charged with aiding and abetting is serious. However, you are not guilty until the prosecution proves all elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Working with a defense attorney is the best way to prove your innocence.

What Should I Do if I’m Charged With Aiding and Abetting in Phoenix, AZ?

If you are arrested for aiding and abetting, steps you should take to protect your rights include:

• Exercise your right to remain silent. Do not answer questions or talk with the police or the prosecutor without an attorney present.
• Do not discuss the crime with anyone other than your attorney, including family and friends.
• Contact a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible.
• Do not attempt to contact the person charged with the crime, witnesses, or anyone associated with the criminal charges.
• Gather evidence and documentation to give your attorney to support a defense.

The sooner you hire a defense lawyer, the better your case will be. Furthermore, a lawyer can help you avoid making mistakes that could result in a conviction or harsher penalties.

Schedule a Free Consultation With a Phoenix Aiding & Abetting Lawyer

Our Phoenix criminal defense law firm can help you with all aspects of a criminal case, including criminal investigations, arrests, plea agreements, trials, and appeals. Call Orent Law Offices today to request a free consultation with our Phoenix aiding & abetting lawyer.