Georgia Firefighter Accused of Burglary and Arson

According to reports out of Bartow County, a local firefighter is facing charges of:

• Theft by Receiving in Georgia
• Violation of Oath by Public Officer in Georgia
• First Degree Arson in Georgia
• Theft by Deception in Georgia
• Aggravated Battery in Georgia

He is also facing burglary charges. According to authorities, the firefighter allegedly broke into a home, stole 17 guns from the residence, and then set the house on fire. No other details have been reported other than witness reports as to the burglary and the arson.

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will focus only on one of the charges faced by the firefighter in today's post: burglary.

Burglary in Georgia

Burglary in Georgia is defined by the Georgia Code in O.C.G.A. § 16-7-1 as two different degrees of the criminal offense.

First degree burglary is defined by Georgia Law as:

A person commits the offense of burglary in the first degree when, without authority and with the intent to commit a felony or theft therein, he or she enters or remains within an occupied, unoccupied, or vacant dwelling house of another or any building, vehicle, railroad car, watercraft, aircraft, or other such structure designed for use as the dwelling of another. A person who commits the offense of burglary in the first degree shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than 20 years. Upon the second conviction for burglary in the first degree, the defendant shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than two nor more than 20 years. Upon the third and all subsequent convictions for burglary in the first degree, the defendant shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than five nor more than 25 years.

Second degree burglary is defined by Georgia Law as:

A person commits the offense of burglary in the second degree when, without authority and with the intent to commit a felony or theft therein, he or she enters or remains within an occupied, unoccupied, or vacant building, structure, vehicle, railroad car, watercraft, or aircraft. A person who commits the offense of burglary in the second degree shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years. Upon the second and all subsequent convictions for burglary in the second degree, the defendant shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than eight years.

Practice Note

If you or a loved one has been arrested for a crime in Georgia, contact our offices today. As you can see from the story reported above, this man is facing several serious charges with the potential of Georgia Felony Penalties if he is convicted.

Call us now.