Most gang members join criminal gangs when they are very young and do not understand the repercussions until they face criminal charges. Virginia recently increased penalties for gang activity, which makes it even more important that you reach out to a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible.
If you or your child is a member of a gang and is being charged as such, you need immediate help. With the enhancement of penalties, you or your child could spend years behind bars for this youthful indiscretion. Contact a Virginia gang crimes lawyer now so we can review your case and advise you.
According to Virginia Code ยง 18.2-46.2, participating in criminal street gang activities or becoming a member of a gang is illegal. This was a Class 5 felony, but was amped up to a Class 4 felony with more serious consequences in 2023.
Any criminal gang member who is 18 or older and knows about any gang members who are minors, or who involves minors in gang activities, will be charged with a Class 3 felony.
Many criminal street gang members gain self-esteem and a sense of belonging they do not get at home or at school. If a gang is running a lucrative drug or weapons trade, or robbery ring, members can make more money than they would make at a minimum wage job, which also dissuades them from staying in school. Most sociologists suggest diversion programs could work to entice members out of the criminal gang life. After an arrest, our Virginia gang crimes attorneys can discuss a path forward.
The penalty for prohibited gang membership, which is a Class 4 felony, is incarceration in state prison for between two and 10 years. If gang activity is conducted in a school zone, the crime is also punished as a Class 4 felony, formerly a Class 5 felony.
If they involve juveniles in gang activity, adults 18 or older are looking at a Class 3 felony, punishable by five to 20 years in prison. A third or subsequent conviction for participating in a criminal street gang is now a Class 2 felony, for which a criminal gang member faces 20 years to life in prison.
The adolescent brain is not fully developed until a person is in their late 20s, and the decisions you make at 12 or 14 will not be the same as the ones at 30. A wrong decision to join a criminal gang has many unpleasant consequences, including conflict with the justice system.
If you have been arrested on criminal street gang-related charges, now is the time to turn your life around. Our Price Benowitz attorneys want to help because you deserve another chance. Call a Virginia gang crimes lawyer and tell us your story during a free case evaluation.
Northern Virginia Criminal Defense Group