Two New York teenagers have been arresting for allegedly stealing money and are now facing felony charges. Both teenagers are facing charges of felony third-degree grand larceny. They are also facing misdemeanor fifth-degree conspiracy charges.
One of the teenagers was 18-years old and the other was 16-years old. The older of the two is also facing misdemeanor charges for the endangerment of the welfare of the child.
We will have to await the results of trial or other negotiations before getting a better idea as to what happened here. The simple fact that charges have been brought does not mean that the two young people are actually guilty of any crime. However, it does mean that they are both facing significant criminal penalties if a conviction actually occurs.
And even if either of the two is found guilty, we must still take into account the age of the individuals charged. Young people often find themselves in trouble with the law by committing actions that they probably would never commit when they are older.
It must also be kept in mind that one of the youths is 18-years old. Though just barely an adult, he could still face adult consequences for what occurred. The penalties that he faces may be a great deal more severe than if he had been arrested for similar charges just one year ago.
Individuals of any age arrested on such charges will need the legal counsel of a respected criminal defense attorney. However, it’s particularly true for youth that may be facing prison time. There may be other and better means of dealing with them than sticking them behind bars, and we must be certain that any sentence is doled out only after all of the circumstances have been taken into consideration.
Source: UticaOD.com, “2 teens charged with grand larceny,” June 19, 2013