Chicago Theft Attorney Michael O’Meara

Chicago Theft Attorney Michael O’Meara has an in-depth understanding of Illinois criminal law and court procedure. He is a skilled advocate for justice who will fight to get the best outcome possible for your case.
Theft crimes involve the unauthorized, permanent taking of another person’s property without their consent. They can range from petty theft to felony theft and can have serious consequences.
Retail Theft
Retail theft is any act of taking merchandise from a store or other retail establishment without tendering payment. This can include everything from hiding an item in a bag to more complex crimes like “under-ringing,” which involves manipulating a cash register or other sales device so that it reads a lower price when scanned at checkout.
In Illinois, depending on the value of the merchandise and your criminal record, a conviction for retail theft may result in a misdemeanor or felony charge. A skilled Chicago shoplifting defense lawyer can use various legal strategies to fight your case, including arguing that you did not have the intent to keep the merchandise or that you were forced into the act by duress or coercion.
In some cases, your Chicago shoplifting attorney can help you avoid a criminal conviction entirely by participating in a deferred prosecution program. This is an option for select individuals who have been charged with less serious offenses, such as return receipt fraud.
Identity Theft
Fifteen million people experience identity theft each year and the cost of this crime adds up to over $50 billion in losses. Victims of this type of theft can suffer financial hardship from paying out-of-pocket expenses that are never reimbursed as well as stress and anxiety about their privacy being violated.
A criminal conviction for identity theft can have serious repercussions including jail time and heavy fines. This is one reason why this crime is prosecuted harshly in Illinois and other states.
An experienced Chicago identity theft lawyer can defend you against a charge of this crime. He will help you prove that you did not commit the crime and demonstrate why the state cannot make a valid case against you. This is especially important if you have an alibi or other evidence that shows it couldn’t have been you that committed the crime. This is the type of defense that a skilled attorney can use to help you avoid a conviction and protect your reputation and financial freedom.
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is a white-collar crime that can lead to serious penalties, including substantial fines and prison time. Typically, the alleged crime involves either tangible or intangible property. It is important that you hire a Chicago embezzlement attorney who understands how the prosecution will approach your case so that he can anticipate how they will use evidence against you and counter their claims with a robust defense strategy.
Experienced embezzlement defense lawyers can often intervene before formal charges are ever issued. This is a valuable step that can reduce your potential jail sentence or even save you from having a criminal record.
To be charged with embezzlement, you must have control over someone else’s assets and misuse that property for your own benefit. This means that if you take small amounts of cash from the cash register, sincerely believing it is for company meals, it will not be considered embezzlement. Embezzlement cases often involve complex accusations of misappropriated funds and forgery, requiring the help of private investigators or forensic accounting experts to build your strongest possible defense.
Forgery
A person commits forgery under Illinois law if they “make or alter any document to make it appear true and capable of defrauding another person.” Like mail fraud, it is a class 3 felony with potential prison time and court-ordered restitution.
Criminal defense attorney Michael O’Meara is highly adept at handling alleged theft and fraud cases. He has a deep understanding of the law and is well-versed in lemon laws, auto fraud, and credit card scams.
He can also challenge the State’s evidence, including handwriting analysis, which is often part of a forgery case. He can also help defend against charges involving bank fraud, which is considered a white-collar crime and is a federal offense. A conviction can have a serious negative impact on your life and is not something you want to take lightly. He will work diligently to ensure that you have the best possible outcome for your case. Forgery and fraud charges are complex and serious, but he can aggressively fight for you to avoid a conviction.