Being charged with criminal damage means that you are being accused of recklessly defacing or damaging another’s property, recklessly tampering with another person’s property or inscribing any symbol on a public or private building. Although these are the most common causes of criminal damage charges, there are other reasons you can be charged with this crime. It is important to get a free consultation with an experienced criminal defense attorney to understand where you stand with your charges. 

The penalties for criminal damage vary based on the value of the property that was damaged. When bringing these charges on a person, the prosecutor only needs to prove that the damage occurred due to reckless behavior. Some of the different criminal damage penalties are:

• Class 2 Misdemeanor: If the damaged property is valued less than $250, then the penalties can include up to 4 months in jail, $750 in fines and 2 years of probation.

• Class 1 Misdemeanor: If the damaged property is valued less than $1,000, then the penalties can include up to 6 months in jail, $2,500 in fines and 3 years of probation.

• Class 6 Felony: If the damaged property is valued between $1,000 and $2,000, then the penalties can include up to 2 years in prison, $150,000 in fines and 3 years of probation.

• Class 5 Felony: If the damaged property is valued between $2,000 and $10,000, then the penalties can include up to 2.5 years in prison, $150,000 in fines and 3 years of probation.

• Class 4 Felony: If the damaged property is valued more than $10,000, then the penalties can include up to 3.75 years in prison, $150,000 in fines and 4 years of probation.