Theft Crime Attorneys in Brazoria County

Former Brazoria County Prosecutor Now Defending the Accused

When you’re facing a theft charge in Brazoria County, the attorney across from the prosecutor matters. Steve Gonzalez served as a Brazoria County Assistant District Attorney from 1997 to 2000, building theft cases from the inside before spending more than two decades defending the accused in the same courts. That background tells him exactly how local prosecutors structure these cases and where the arguments are weakest. Combined with Kristina King and over 32 years of combined criminal defense experience, Law Office of Steve O. Gonzalez has helped more than 5,000 clients navigate the Texas criminal justice system.

Texas Penal Code Chapter 31 defines theft broadly: taking or exercising control over property without the owner’s consent and with the intent to deprive them of it. That single statute covers shoplifting, fraud, embezzlement, and receiving stolen property alike. A conviction creates a permanent criminal record that appears on employment background checks, affects professional licensing, and can close doors on housing applications. Whether you’re facing a first-time misdemeanor or a felony charge involving substantial property, our firm is prepared to defend you.

Call Law Office of Steve O. Gonzalez today at (832) 900-9867 if you’re facing theft charges and want to start building your defense with an initial consultation.

Theft Offenses We Handle in Brazoria County

Theft is one of the most varied categories in Texas criminal law. We handle theft cases at both the misdemeanor and felony levels in county and state courts throughout Brazoria County, including clients from Pearland, Manvel, and Lake Jackson.

We represent clients charged with the following theft offenses:

• Shoplifting
• Petty theft
• Grand theft
• Auto theft
• Firearm theft
• Fraud
• Burglary
• Robbery

Texas has no separate auto theft statute. Vehicle theft is prosecuted as general theft under Chapter 31 and graded by the vehicle’s value. Firearm theft, by contrast, carries automatic state jail felony classification regardless of the weapon’s market value. Receiving stolen property is also a theft offense under Texas law, even when the defendant never directly took anything from its owner.

How Texas Grades Theft Charges by Value

The severity of a Texas theft charge depends almost entirely on the value of the property involved. Here is where each tier falls and what it carries.

• Class C misdemeanor: Property valued under $100; fine up to $500, no jail time.
• Class B misdemeanor: $100 to less than $750; up to 180 days in jail and a fine up to $2,000.
• Class A misdemeanor: $750 to less than $2,500; up to one year in jail and a fine up to $4,000.
• State jail felony: $2,500 to less than $30,000; 180 days to two years in state jail and a fine up to $10,000.
• Third-degree felony: $30,000 to less than $150,000; two to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
• Second-degree felony: $150,000 to less than $300,000; two to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
• First-degree felony: $300,000 or more; five to 99 years or life in prison and a fine up to $10,000.

Aggravating factors can push a charge into a higher tier. Using a deadly weapon, targeting a peace officer or elderly person, or committing another offense in the course of the theft can all elevate the classification and the sentencing range. Theft of a firearm is a state jail felony regardless of value.

Why Brazoria County Clients Choose Law Office of Steve O. Gonzalez

Steve Gonzalez’s time as a Brazoria County prosecutor gives our firm a perspective that many theft crime lawyers don’t have. He knows the charging decisions local prosecutors make, the evidence they rely on, and the arguments that carry weight in Brazoria County District Courts. That institutional knowledge shapes how we approach every case from the first consultation forward.

We prepare a defense strategy specific to the charge level, the facts, and each client’s circumstances. Depending on what the evidence shows, possible outcomes may include charge reduction, deferred adjudication, or acquittal at trial. Deferred adjudication allows a defendant to avoid a conviction upon completing probation terms and may also open a path to petitioning for nondisclosure of the record under Texas law. No outcome is guaranteed, but we go into every case prepared to take it to trial if that’s what gives our client the best chance.

Steve Gonzalez holds an Avvo rating of 9.9 and has received the Avvo Clients Choice Award. We also serve Spanish-speaking clients throughout Brazoria County. If you need a larceny attorney in Brazoria County or are facing any level of theft charge, from a Class C misdemeanor to a first-degree felony, we’re ready to help.

Contact Law Office of Steve O. Gonzalez online or call us at (832) 900-9867 to schedule a consultation and start building your theft defense in Brazoria County.