Common Criminal Charges in Virginia

Examples of Common Criminal Charges in Virginia

Some of the more common criminal offenses under Virginia law include the following:

Drug Offenses

By the Virginia Code, it is an offense for anyone to manufacture, sell, distribute, or possess to sell and distribute any of the following:

• Controlled substances such as heroin
• Cannabis (marijuana), other than for medical purposes
• Imitation controlled substances
• Drug paraphernalia

Drug crimes vary in severity and could be charged as a felony or misdemeanor, depending on the circumstances of the case.

If convicted of a misdemeanor drug offense, you could face up to 12 months of jail time and be made to pay a fine of up to $2500 or both. For felony drug crimes, you could face serious jail time, not less than five years, and be made to pay a fine of up to $100,000, depending on the circumstances.

Driving While Intoxicated

It is an offense to drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol in Virginia. You can get arrested and charged with a DWI/DUI if police officers find that your blood alcohol concentration level is at 0.08 percent or if your driving is impaired due to the intoxicating substance you consumed.

If you’re under 21, the stakes are higher, as you can be arrested with a BAC of 0.02 percent.

The penalties for drunk or intoxicated driving include forfeiture of your driver’s license, community service, and payment of fines. You could also go to jail for some time, and the penalties become more severe if you are a repeat offender.

Remember that DWI charges and criminal convictions can stay on your record and ruin your education and employment opportunities. So, if you’ve been drinking alcoholic beverages at a party or anywhere else, make alternative arrangements to get home instead of driving yourself.

Violent Crimes

Acts of violence are strictly prohibited in Virginia. You don’t have to physically hurt someone or cause bodily injury to be charged with violent crimes under the law. Making someone afraid you will harm them can also get you in trouble. So, no matter how angry or provoked you might be, try to keep your emotions in check to avoid getting in trouble with the law.

Some of the crimes that you could be charged with when you violently lose your cool include:

• (Aggravated) malicious wounding
• Assault
• Battery
• Domestic violence
• Murder
• Manslaughter

Other than simple assault, most violent crimes are charged as felonies. If you’re facing felony charges, you could spend a minimum of one year in jail, depending on the felony class if convicted.

Property Crimes

Property crimes involve unlawful interference with another’s property by damaging or assuming ownership rights over it.

Common property crimes in Virginia include:

• Robbery
• Trespass to land
• Arson
• Theft crimes such as burglary, embezzlement, petit or grand larceny, and credit card fraud.

Property crimes may be charged as felonies or misdemeanors depending on the nature of the offense and the value of the property involved. The penalties also vary with each crime but generally include imprisonment in a state correctional facility and payment of fines.

Obstruction of Justice Offenses

It is a crime in Virginia to do anything that interferes with the administration of justice or prevents a law enforcement officer from carrying out their duty.

Obstruction of justice offenses include:

• Resisting arrest
• Perjury (telling lies in court)
• Concealing a crime
• Giving false reports to the police.

In addition to the usual criminal law penalties, some of these offenses have certain unique punishments for the specific crime. For instance, if you’re found guilty of perjury, apart from the punishment you’ll get for the offense as a Class 5 felony, you’ll forever be incapable of holding any public office of honor, profit, or trust in Virginia or serving as a juror.