Ohio Theft & Property Crimes Defense
Theft, burglary, breaking & entering, receiving stolen property, vandalism, arson, forgery, and fraud. McCown, Fisher & Cremeans LPA defends these charges across nine Southern Ohio counties from offices in Ironton and Chesapeake, with more than 50 combined years of trial experience. Select a charge below for a detailed breakdown of the statute, how Ohio grades it, the penalties, and the defenses that apply.
Theft
Ohio grades theft entirely by the value of what was allegedly taken. A few hundred dollars can separate a misdemeanor from a felony — which is why proving (or disproving) value is so often the whole fight.
Theft defense → R.C. 2913.02 & 2913.61Grand Theft (incl. Motor Vehicle)
“Grand theft” is felony theft — either because the value is high or because the item is one Ohio singles out, like a motor vehicle or a firearm. Either way, prison is on the table.
Grand Theft (incl. Motor Vehicle) defense → R.C. 2911.12Burglary
Burglary is not just breaking in to steal — it is trespassing in an occupied structure with intent to commit any crime inside. Whether the structure was “occupied” and what your purpose was set the felony level.
Burglary defense → R.C. 2911.11Aggravated Burglary
Aggravated burglary is the most serious burglary offense — a first-degree felony that adds a weapon or physical harm to an occupied-structure trespass. The exposure is measured in years of prison.
Aggravated Burglary defense → R.C. 2911.13Breaking & Entering
Breaking and entering is the unoccupied-structure cousin of burglary — a fifth-degree felony that still puts a felony record and possible prison on the line.
Breaking & Entering defense → R.C. 2913.51Receiving Stolen Property
The whole case usually comes down to one word: knowing. Receiving stolen property requires proof you knew — or reasonably should have known — the item was stolen. That is far easier to allege than to prove.
Receiving Stolen Property defense → R.C. 2909.05, 2909.06 & 2909.07Criminal Damaging & Vandalism
Damaging someone’s property can be anything from a minor misdemeanor to a felony, depending on the value of the damage and the type of property. Intent and the dollar amount are where these cases are won.
Criminal Damaging & Vandalism defense → R.C. 2909.02 & 2909.03Arson & Aggravated Arson
Arson cases lean heavily on fire-investigator opinion about how a fire started — opinion that is frequently challengeable. The charges range from a misdemeanor to a first-degree felony.
Arson & Aggravated Arson defense → R.C. 2913.31Forgery
Forgery is a fraud crime built on intent — and intent to defraud is exactly what the State so often cannot prove. The felony level scales with the value involved.
Forgery defense → R.C. 2913.49Identity Fraud
Identity-fraud allegations often arise from messy financial situations — shared accounts, family finances, authorized use gone sideways. The State still has to prove you used another person’s identifying information to commit fraud.
Identity Fraud defense → R.C. 2911.21Criminal Trespass
Trespass charges are usually misdemeanors, but they still create a record and often accompany more serious allegations. Whether you were actually on notice that you weren’t allowed there is the core question.
Criminal Trespass defense →Why Early Defense Matters
The most consequential decisions in a criminal case are made early — often before the first court date. Evidence is fresh, witnesses are available, surveillance and body-camera footage still exists, and the prosecution has not yet committed to a theory. The sooner we are reviewing the stop, the search, and the State’s evidence, the more leverage you have. Call (740) 532-8744 for a free, confidential review.