Georgia House Party Results in Over 30 Arrests

According to reports out of Henry County, over thirty people were cited and arrested after a party at a vacant mansion.

Police reported that it looked like hundreds of people attended the party, and that there is an estimated $6,000 worth of damage to the house.

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will outline the two different degrees of criminal damage to property as it is defined by Georgia Law as well as the consequences if convicted of either crime.

Criminal Damage to Property in Georgia

The offense of criminal damage to property is defined in the Georgia Code in O.C.G.A. §16-7-23. The statute divides the offense into two separate degrees.

First-degree criminal damage to property in Georgia is defined by Georgia Law as:

A person commits the offense of criminal damage to property in the 1st degree when they:

• Knowingly and without authority interfere with any property in a manner as to endanger human life; or
• Knowingly and without authority and by force or violence interfere with the operation of public communication, public transportation, sewerage, drainage, water supply, gas, power, or other public utility service or with any constituent power thereof.

First-degree criminal damage to property is classified as a felony offense in Georgia. The penalty for a first-degree criminal damage to property conviction will be a prison term between one and ten years.

Second-degree criminal damage to property in Georgia is defined by Georgia Law as:

A person commits the offense of criminal damage to property in the second degree when they:

• Intentionally damage any property of another person without their consent, and the damage, therefore, exceeds $500.00; or
• Recklessly or intentionally, by means of fire or explosive, damages property of another person.

Second-degree criminal damage to property is also classified as a felony offense in Georgia. The penalty for a second-degree criminal damage to property conviction will be a prison term between one and five years.

Practice Note

Thirty one different individuals were cited for trespass and property damage. Just because someone has been cited or arrested for the commission of a crime does not mean that he or she is guilty of committing that offense.

If you or a loved one has been arrested for a crime in Georgia, contact a Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney today.