Georgia Bureau of Investigation DNA Test Leads to More Charges for Current Inmate

An inmate currently at a Georgia prison is making news headlines after he is facing new charges.

Cobb County police have accused the man of new charges for 12 break-ins from 2016. He allegedly broke into 12 vehicles and swiped weapons, electronics, and cash. He was accused after DNA was collected, tested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and then cross compared to the database.

The arrest warrant stated that “The suspect cut himself on the broken glass around the window and left blood DNA inside of the vehicle. That DNA was collected at the time and submitted to the GBI for comparison.”

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will outline the law behind the criminal offense of entering auto in Georgia in today's post.

Entering Auto in Georgia

Entering Auto in Georgia is defined by Georgia Law in O.C.G.A. § 16-8-18 as:

If any person shall enter any automobile or other motor vehicle with the intent to commit a theft or a felony, he shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for no less than one nor more than five years, or in the discretion of the trial judge, as for a misdemeanor.

The penalty for entering auto is a prison sentence for no less than one year and no more than five years and is deemed a felony. However, it is within the judge's discretion to treat the crime as a misdemeanor instead.

If you are found guilty of a misdemeanor instead of a felony, you may only have to pay a fine. But if you judge issues a felony conviction, the consequences may be years in prison. You could receive a prison sentence, a fine, or both if guilty of a felony.

Also, you may be ordered by the court to pay restitution. Restitution is when someone convicted of a crime must financially compensate a victim or the victim's family. The amount of compensation varies with each case and is set by the court. Your penalty for a conviction of entering auto could be a prison sentence, restitution, and a fine if they found it reasonable for your case.

Practice Note

Entering auto is similar to other property and theft crimes such as burglary in Georgia. Regardless of the type of crime - just because someone has been arrested does not mean that he or she is guilty of that specific offense. There are a multitude of Georgia Criminal Defenses that could apply to any case depending on the circumstances. If you have been arrested, call our offices now.