Expungement and Sealing of Record of Felony Theft Conviction
Felony Theft Records Considered Crimes of Dishonesty
If you have a record for felony theft conviction or charge in Ohio, it is critically important to obtain an Expungement and Sealing of your criminal record. This is because any felony theft charge is considered a crime of dishonesty. Felony theft offenses are considered crimes of “moral turpitude” because they reflect conduct that is immoral and a type of behavior that society generally considers to be wrong. In legal terms, a conviction for any Felony theft offense is considered a crime that reflects a person’s character for truthfulness and veracity. Charges for felony theft generally require proof of dishonesty as a specific element of the offense, as in the charges of Theft under 2913.02 of the Ohio Revised Code.
Felony Theft Charges Can Be Expunged and Sealed
Ohio has many different felony theft related offenses that have varying degrees of felony levels. Some of the most Common Felony Theft Convictions in Ohio include:
Theft-felony of fifth degree; Grand Theft–felony of fourth degree; Aggravated Theft-felony of third degree; Receiving Stolen Property; Theft of Drugs; Passing Bad Checks; Misuse of Credit Cards; Theft in Office; and Breaking and Entering. Ohio has various Felony Fraud Related Charges including: Identity Theft; Medicaid Fraud, Tampering with Records; Defrauding Creditors; Illegal Use of Food Stamps; Insurance Fraud; and Worker’s Compensation Fraud. Computer Crimes such as Unauthorized Use of Computer are considered a specific kind of theft offense in Ohio.
Forgery Related Crimes are another theft-related offense in Ohio, including: simple forgery; criminal simulation; and counterfeiting.
Felony Theft Offenses Are Public Records
Felony Theft Records are available for the public to review. Even if the theft related charge was reduced to a lower charge, resolved by a diversion program, or simply dismissed, the records of the original theft charge is still available to the public. This is enough to create suspicion and a red flag about a person’s background. If you have one of the Felony theft record listed above, employers, landlords, colleges, financial institutions, rental agencies, or your neighbors will likely assume that you are dishonest. Today, background checks are regular practice in screening applications for jobs, apartments, universities, financial loans, etc… A person with a felony theft conviction will undoubtedly be denied employment and other opportunities.
Unless a person has an expungement and sealing of their Felony Theft Record, their criminal record will be kept on databases compiled by local, state, or federal law enforcement agencies. Convictions for theft offenses are readily available to the public through public records, including: the State of Ohio databases, County Common Pleas Courts, County Courts, Municipal Court, Mayors Court, as well as the police departments for those jurisdictions. This means your theft conviction can be seen by anyone who has an Internet connection.
GOOD NEWS! – Most Felony Theft Charges Can Be Expunged and Sealed
Ohio law allows people with felony theft convictions to have an expungement and sealing of their criminal. Sealing of record, also known as expungement, is legal process in Ohio which allows a person to have any and all public records to their prior criminal records cleared and there court file sealed. Expungement and sealing of records is a valuable tool to restore and protect your reputation, help your job search, and improve your future.
Expungement and Sealing of Record is especially important in cases of felony theft, which have an implication of dishonesty. For example, a young adult may have misused a relative’s credit card without their permission to purchase some items on Amazon that they couldn’t afford, they may have thought it was a “not a big deal” at the time but they were later convicted of Felony theft. This bad decision does not mean they are a bad person or that they will always be dishonest? However, as long as that theft remains on their record, anyone doing a background will typically think such a person cannot be trusted. As a result, life will be harder and more difficult for their future. Criminal records for Felony Theft never go away unless a legal action or expungement and sealing are filed and approved by the sentencing court. In this example, an Expungement and sealing of this person’s felony theft record would allow all public records of their theft conviction to disappear from public view. In their future, typically no record would show up in background checks and in most cases when this person is asked questions about criminal convictions, they could honestly answer “no.” (There are some exceptions for law enforcement and particular employers)
Ohio Expungement Attorney
Don’t let a Felony Theft Conviction ruin your life, your family, or your career future. You can’t afford to put off hiring an experienced Ohio expungement attorney. Our law firm has been in business since 1988, and we know the laws related to Ohio expungement and criminal record sealing. Contact our law firm for a confidential and free expungement consultation to determine if you are eligible for an expungement and sealing of your felony theft conviction.
