Criminal Defense Lawyers in St. Cloud, FL
St. Cloud, FL is an up-and-coming area bustling with possibility. As a recently-developed community, St. Cloud is probably best known for its ongoing real estate boom, and the mixed population of office and sales professionals who flock to the area. Blue skies are ahead, too, as it’s in the top 27% of safest Florida communities and above average for the country as a whole. Of course, every community has its faults, so mistakes do happen. Smith & Eulo Law Firm is here to provide criminal defense in St. Cloud when you’ve been accused of wrongdoing.
St. Cloud, FL Criminal Defense Cases
The overall chance for any resident becoming a crime victim in St. Cloud is minuscule, at only one in 73. We’re glad that the area maintains a safe and welcoming environment, but are happy to help when things go wrong. Smith & Eulo Law Firm provides criminal defense in St. Cloud when you need to clear your name. Some cases we’ve successfully defended include:
- Motor Vehicle Theft – Joe travels to the grocery store, does his shopping and returns to discover his car’s been stolen. That’s motor vehicle theft, when an individual steals or uses someone else’s vehicle (car, truck, motorcycle) with no intention of returning it. As a popular video game suggests, it’s a grand theft crime, too, making motor vehicle theft a felony. Most thefts of this type are at least third degree offenses, involving property worth less than $20,000, but can easily be escalated to second- or first-degree offenses for higher-value vehicles and/or property damage during the crime. Sentences range from license suspension and up to 5 years in prison to $10,000 in fines and 30 years in prison.
- Physical Assault – An argument escalates to physical contact, leaving at least one party injured. Physical assault happens when someone causes non life-threatening physical injury to another. The victim might only have a black eye, but a crime has still occurred. Luckily, while assaults are among the more common crimes in St. Cloud, incidences are few and far between, with only about one crime per 1,000 people in the city. Physical assault is a misdemeanor in Florida, punishable by up to one year in prison.
- Rape – Sexual offenses in the state of Florida fall under the umbrella of sexual battery. Rape specifically includes vaginal, anal or oral union/penetration of the victim with a sexual organ or object without the victim’s consent. To prove rape in St. Cloud and other Florida cities, a legal team must demonstrate that the elements of sexual battery have occurred, which is tied heavily to consent and victim age. Rape is a felony crime, so perpetrators can face severe sentences ranging from a minimum of 15 years to life in prison or even death sentence for use of deadly force or statutory rape against a victim younger than 12.
Both the accused and the victim have rights to qualified legal defense and a fair trial. Smith & Eulo Law Firm makes sure you get both. If you’ve been accused of a crime in St. Cloud, FL, the first thing to do is secure a criminal defense team to help tell your story. Our partners, Darryl Smith and Ken Eulo, back their clients with a
successful track record and well-reasoned defense strategies.
Are you looking for a criminal defense team? We’re here for every one of our clients, day and night. Contact us for your free case evaluation today.