

Criminal Lawyer for People Arrested at Showboat Casino, Atlantic City

Facing criminal charges for mistakes or legal issues committed at a casino can be incredibly stressful.  If you were arrested for theft, assault, drug crimes, or any other offense committed at the Showboat Casino in Atlantic City, you could be looking at potential jail time, criminal fines, and tense court proceedings.  For help with your case, you should turn to an experienced criminal defense lawyer.

The Law Offices of John J. Zarych’s criminal lawyers for people arrested at Showboat Casino in Atlantic City work to protect our clients’ rights and fight the charges against them.  We seek to have charges dropped and dismissed and to work out agreements that avoid jail time and serious penalties.  For help with your case, call our attorneys today at (609) 616-4956 to schedule a free legal consultation.

What to Do When You’ve Been Arrested at a Casino in Atlantic City

If you have been arrested, it is important to be aware of your rights and work to keep yourself safe from further legal issues.  When being arrested, it is important not to struggle or fight back, or else you could face additional charges for resisting arrest.  You will typically be taken to lockup after being arrested, and you will then be booked and given a court date.  If your crime was serious enough, the judge might require you to pay bail before you will be let go.  If you are drunk or high when you are arrested, you may be kept in lockup or given medical attention until you are stable and can be brought before a judge or released.

While in custody, police may attempt to question you or get further information about what you were doing and what happened.  It is vital not to answer questions while in custody; do not talk to the police without a lawyer present.  You have the right to remain silent and the right to have an attorney present during questioning, but you must affirmatively speak up and tell the police officers you would like to use these rights.  Simply remaining silent isn’t typically enough to actually use your right to remain silent.  Furthermore, the right to an attorney is often seen as stronger because it protects you from facing any questions while in custody while the right to remain silent only stops that line of questioning.

If you are brought before a judge to decide bail, there are usually 3 options the judge will choose from.  The first is to have bail denied.  This should only happen if the crime you committed shows you are extremely dangerous or you have a huge risk of fleeing and not returning for court.  The second option is to have cash bail set.  This means you need to pay money to get out on bail, and you forfeit that money if you fail to appear in court.  This helps encourage people who might live out-of-state or have trouble getting to court to show up.  In most non-violent cases, the third option should be used: release on your own recognizance (ROR).  This means that you are let go and the court trusts you to return for your next court date.

Whether you are released on bail or not, your first call should be to an attorney.  Your lawyer should be present during any discussions with police, and your lawyer can help you get a bail hearing to fight to get you out of jail before trial.  Your lawyer can also help you with any court dates and work to get charges dropped or dismissed.

Penalties for Crimes at a Casino in NJ

The potential penalties you face in your case will depend on the specific crime you were charged with committing.  Nearly all criminal offenses in New Jersey carry the potential of jail time, even low-level offenses.  However, the ranges for jail time and fines change depending on the level of crime committed.

Crimes in NJ are classified as either disorderly persons offenses or indictable crimes (often simply called “crimes”).  Disorderly persons offenses are similar to both misdemeanors and violations/citations issued in other states.  For more serious disorderly persons offenses, the penalties include fines up to $1,000 and up to 6 months in jail.  For minor disorderly persons offenses, the penalties usually include fines up to $1,000 and up to 30 days in jail.  In the low-level offenses like disorderly conduct, jail time is rare.

Crimes are divided further into 4 levels: fourth, third, second, and first degree crimes.  Murder and other very serious offenses are first degree crimes carrying up to $200,000 in fines and 10-20 years in prison.  Many of these crimes are unlikely to be the type committed in a casino.  That means that most casino crimes are classified as fourth through second degree crimes carrying the following potential penalties:

  • Second degree crimes: up to $150,000 in fines and 5-10 years in prison
  • Third degree crimes: up to $15,000 in fines and 3-5 years in prison
  • Fourth degree crimes: up to $10,000 in fines and up to 18 months in prison

Many crimes can be charged at different levels depending on how the crime was committed.  For instance, theft is charged at different levels depending on the value of what was stolen, and assault is charged as aggravated assault or simple assault based on the resulting injuries or whether a weapon was used.

Call Our Lawyers for a Free Consultation if You Were Arrested at the Showboat Casino

The Law Offices of John J. Zarych’s Atlantic City attorneys for people arrested at the Showboat Casino represent those accused of committing serious crimes in casinos and elsewhere in New Jersey.  For a free legal consultation on your case, contact our lawyers today to see how we can help to get charges dropped and dismissed.  For your free legal consultation, call (609) 616-4956 today.

