Being charged with a crime and placed under arrest is a stressful, frightening, disorienting experience. Once the charges are filed, not only do you have to find your way through Utah’s confusing court system, you also face serious criminal penalties like prison time, expensive fines, restitution, license suspension, and a criminal record. If you or one of your family members was recently arrested in Riverton, you need to take immediate action to ensure that your rights will be protected by a skilled and experienced Riverton defense attorney.
Riverton Criminal Defense Attorney Offering Free Consultations
A criminal conviction can deprive you of your rights, your career, your family, and even your personal freedom. If you’ve been accused of committing a misdemeanor or felony crime in Riverton, or if one of your loved ones is in custody at the Salt Lake County Jail after being arrested, it is urgent that you contact a criminal lawyer as soon as possible for legal help.
Criminal attorney Darwin Overson handles felony and misdemeanor cases throughout Utah, and has more than 16 years of experience working with thousands of clients, including adults and juveniles, charged with all types of criminal offenses. Darwin is an aggressive trial attorney, and no matter how serious or seemingly hopeless the allegations against you may be, we are prepared to devote our firm’s resources to defending you.
To set up a free and confidential legal consultation with Riverton defense lawyer Darwin Overson, contact Overson Law at (801) 758-2287 right away. The sooner you call our law offices for assistance, the sooner we can start exploring your legal options together.
Utah Law Firm Handling Felony and Misdemeanor Cases
A criminal conviction has the power to negatively impact the rest of your life. In addition to the devastation caused by formal, court-ordered penalties such as fines and jail time, the criminal record resulting from a conviction can seriously complicate important parts of your life, turning matters like finding a job or getting a loan into nightmares.
With everything you value at stake, you need an aggressive and committed attorney on your side to fight the charges and pursue a favorable outcome to your case. Overson Law represents adults and minors who have been charged with many different types of offenses in Riverton and the surrounding area.
Arrested for Assault in Riverton?
Assault is one of the most common offenses people are charged with, not only in Riverton but throughout Utah. While the Utah Department of Public Safety doesn’t track arrest data specific to Riverton, statistics show that the Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake reported nearly 2,800 assaults, including 426 cases of aggravated assault, during 2015 alone.
Assault is sometimes called “simple” assault to distinguish it from aggravated assault, which is a separate, more serious offense. Some states use the term “battery,” though Utah is not among them.
Assault, which is one of the charges we are more frequently contacted about, is charged under Utah Code § 76-5-102 when the defendant either causes or attempts to cause physical injury. The consequences are more severe if the victim was a pregnant woman.
- Class B Misdemeanor Assault — Up to 6 months in jail, up to $1,000 in fines
- Class A Misdemeanor Assault — Up to 1 year in jail, up to $2,500 in fines
Aggravated assault is a felony charge because it involves either a serious injury or the use of a dangerous weapon, like a gun.
- Second Degree Felony Assault — Up to 15 years in prison, up to $10,000 in fines
- First Degree Felony Assault — Possible life sentence, up to $10,000 in fines
Depending on the circumstances, possible defenses may include acting in self-defense, acting unintentionally, or being the victim of mistaken identity, which sometimes occurs when there is a large crowd or poor lighting.
Drug Charges in Riverton
Like assault charges, drug charges are also commonplace. There are many different types of drug offenses under the Utah Controlled Substances Act. Some of drug crimes listed under Utah Code § 58-37-8 include:
- Drug Distribution/Possession with Intent to Distribute
- Drug Manufacturing
- Drug Possession (“Simple” Possession)
Depending on factors like the type of controlled substance, the quantity of the controlled substance, whether the alleged crime involved any minors, and whether the alleged crime took place in a school zone, drug offenses span a wide range of categories, and the penalties can vary significantly. At minimum, you could be charged with a Class B Misdemeanor, while some offenses are first degree felonies.
Darwin Overson frequently handles drug-related cases as a criminal defense lawyer in Riverton, ranging from misdemeanors involving small amounts of Schedule V drugs to felonies involving large quantities of Schedule I drugs. Darwin represents defendants charged with paraphernalia possession and other crimes related to controlled substances.
Contact a Riverton Criminal Lawyer for Legal Help
If you or someone you love has been arrested in Riverton, don’t panic: get legal help from an experienced attorney who understands the law and can guide you through the court system while making sure that your rights are protected at all times. Darwin Overson is available to make jail visits and offers free initial consultations. To talk about your case confidentially and free of charge with Darwin, call Overson Law at (801) 758-2287 right away.
