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Under Arizona law, a person commits kidnapping by knowingly restraining another person with the intent to engage in one of the specific acts listed in A.R.S. § 13-1304. Depending on the circumstances, it can be a Class 4, Class 3, or Class 2 felony.

In some circumstances, kidnapping in Arizona can also be a federal crime.

At AZ Defenders, we defend Arizona residents accused of criminal law violations, including kidnapping charges. 

This blog post covers Arizona’s kidnapping law, Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) Section 13-1304. In it, we discuss:

  • How Arizona law defines kidnapping
  • How kidnapping can be a


Continue Reading Kidnapping in Arizona: ARS 13-1304

Under Arizona law, knowingly restraining another person can subject you to a charge of unlawful imprisonment. Unlawful imprisonment is sometimes informally referred to as “false imprisonment,” although false imprisonment more commonly refers to a related civil claim. 

Depending on the circumstances, a conviction of unlawful imprisonment can be a Class 6 felony or a Class 1 misdemeanor.

At AZ Defenders, we represent Arizona residents charged with criminal offenses, including unlawful imprisonment. In this blog post, we cover:

  • How Arizona law defines unlawful imprisonment, including examples of what unlawful imprisonment is and exceptions to the law
  • Legal penalties for


Continue Reading Unlawful Imprisonment in Arizona: ARS 13-1303

If you are charged with a crime while you are on pretrial release, bond, probation, parole, work furlough, community supervision, or, in some cases, the sentence for the new crime will be significantly more harsh than if you were not on probation.

AZ Defenders criminal defense attorneys represent people charged with many kinds of crimes in Arizona, including violations of probation and other offenses committed while on release for a prior conviction. In this blog post, we discuss Arizona’s law relating to offenses committed while released from confinement, Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) Section 13-708.

If you are facing a
Continue Reading Offenses Committed While on Release in Arizona: ARS 13-708

Indecent exposure is a criminal offense in Arizona that, depending on the circumstances, can be a misdemeanor or a felony-level charge. 

Depending on factors like the age of the person in front of whom the act occurs, whether it is a first-time or a repeat offense, and how many prior offenses have been committed. A conviction for indecent exposure can result in a sentence ranging from probation to fifteen years in prison in the most serious repeat-offender cases involving minors under 15 years of age.

At AZ Defenders, we represent people charged with sex-related crimes in Arizona, including
Continue Reading Indecent Exposure in Arizona: ARS 13-1402

Armed robbery is a more serious form of the crime of robbery. It involves the possession, use, or threatened use of a deadly weapon or a simulated deadly weapon, or in some cases a dangerous instrument, during the commission of a robbery.

Armed robbery is a Class 2 felony under Arizona law, the second-most severe category of crime in the state.

In this article, we discuss the details of armed robbery in Arizona, including:

  • How the law defines armed robbery
  • The penalties for armed robbery
  • Possible legal defenses to a charge of armed robbery

If you are facing an armed
Continue Reading Armed Robbery in Arizona: ARS 13-1904

Under Arizona law, forgery involves altering a written document with the intent to defraud another person. 

A common example of forgery is trying to cash a check with a forged signature. Other common examples include creating fake prescriptions for medications or filling out unauthorized applications for credit using another person’s personal information.

Depending on the circumstances, a conviction for forgery is classified as a Class 4 or Class 3 felony in Arizona.

In this blog post, we examine forgery crimes in Arizona. Specifically, we cover:

  • The elements of the offense
  • Penalties for a forgery conviction
  • Defenses to a charge of


Continue Reading Forgery in Arizona: ARS 13-2002

In Arizona, committing forgery can be as simple as mimicking someone else’s signature on a check and presenting it to a bank to be cashed. In other cases, though, forgery methods can be more complex, involving a variety of tools specifically designed or adapted to forge written instruments. Possessing these kinds of tools with the intent to use them to commit forgery is a crime under Arizona law.

A conviction for criminal possession of a forgery device is a Class 5 or a Class 6 felony offense in Arizona.

At AZ Defenders, we defend clients accused of forgery-related crimes, including
Continue Reading Possession of a Forgery Device in Arizona: ARS 13-2003

Hazing is an activity that traditionally has taken place among college students in fraternity hazing cases, but it is not limited to them. Hazing became a criminal offense in Arizona effective with the 2022 enactment of Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) Sections 13-1215 and 13-1216. A conviction for hazing under Arizona law can be a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the physical harm done.

In this blog post, we discuss what constitutes hazing and the applicable penalties for a conviction of hazing. 

If you have been accused of participating in a hazing incident in Arizona ,AZ Defenders law firm
Continue Reading Hazing in Arizona: ARS 13-1215

Robbery is already a serious felony offense in Arizona. When it is committed with one or more accomplices, it becomes aggravated robbery under Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) Section 13-1903.

Aggravated robbery is a Class 3 felony in Arizona.

AZ Defenders represents people charged with robbery and aggravated robbery in Arizona. If you have been charged with aggravated robbery, call us at (480) 456-6400 or contact us online to talk with an experienced Arizona criminal defense lawyer.

How Arizona Law Defines Aggravated Robbery

ARS 13-1903 is a short statute. Here it is in full:

Aggravated robbery; classification

A. A person
Continue Reading Aggravated Robbery in Arizona: ARS 13-1903

Under Arizona law, robbery can take different forms, including armed robbery and aggravated robbery. In this post, we focus on the basic offense of robbery, as it is defined under Arizona Revised Statutes Section 13-1902.

While theft and robbery involve taking someone else’s property without that person’s permission, an important difference between these two offenses is that robbery involves taking something from the victim directly in their presence with some kind of threat or force to coerce someone to surrender property.

If you have been accused of any kind of robbery charges in Arizona, call AZ Defenders at (480)
Continue Reading Robbery in Arizona: ARS 13-1902

In Arizona, trafficking in stolen property means knowingly or recklessly selling, transferring, distributing, dispensing, or otherwise disposing of stolen property. Trafficking in stolen property includes buying, receiving, possessing, or obtaining control of stolen property with the intent to sell, transfer, distribute, dispense, or otherwise dispose of the property.

The Arizona law that makes trafficking in stolen goods illegal is Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) Section 13-2307. Depending on the circumstances, a conviction under this law is a Class 3 felony or a Class 2 felony.

If you have been charged with trafficking in stolen goods in Arizona, AZ Defenders
Continue Reading Trafficking in Stolen Property in Arizona: ARS 13-2307

Shoplifting is a common theft crime in Arizona. Under Arizona law, depending on the circumstances of the crime, a conviction for shoplifting can be either a misdemeanor or a felony offense. In either case, you could face incarceration, fines, restitution, and other legal and social consequences.

If you are facing a shoplifting charge in Arizona, AZ Defenders can help. We represent individuals in Arizona accused of all kinds of theft crimes, including shoplifting. To speak with one of our experienced criminal defense lawyers, call us at (480) 456-6400 or contact us online at any time, any day of the year.
Continue Reading Shoplifting in Arizona: ARS 13-1805

Under Arizona law, arson of an occupied structure means knowingly and unlawfully damaging a structure by causing a fire or explosion, where the structure is occupied or likely to be occupied by people at the time of the incident.

Arson of an occupied structure is a Class 2 felony offense and the most serious form of arson, which can lead to a prison sentence of up to 12.5 years upon conviction, and that’s if you do not have any prior felony convictions.

At AZ Defenders, our Arizona criminal defense attorneys represent people charged with many kinds of crimes, including arson
Continue Reading Arson of an Occupied Structure in Arizona: ARS 13-1704

In Arizona, it is unlawful to cause a child to suffer physical injury, to allow a child to be injured, or to put a child in a situation that endangers that child’s health or well-being. These behaviors are known as child abuse.

Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) Section 13-3623 is the Arizona law that sets forth criminal child abuse. The law applies to anyone responsible for a child’s care, regardless of that person’s relationship to the child. It covers physical, emotional, sexual abuse, neglect, exploitation, and/or abandonment.

A conviction for child abuse can range from a Class 1 misdemeanor up to
Continue Reading Child Abuse in Arizona: ARS 13-3623

Under Arizona law, the crime of theft can take different forms. Depending on the specific kind of theft, the crime can be a misdemeanor or a felony.

In this post, we at AZ Defenders analyze Arizona’s theft crime statute, Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) Section 13-1802. We identify the various types of theft, the penalties associated with each, and some possible defenses to a charge of theft.

If you are facing criminal charges for theft in Arizona, call AZ Defenders at (480) 456-6400 or contact us online to speak with one of our experienced criminal defense attorneys.

How Does Arizona
Continue Reading Theft in Arizona: ARS 13-1802

Under Arizona law, organized retail theft can occur in one of two ways:

  • When a person, acting alone or with someone else, takes merchandise from a retail establishment without paying for its purchase price and has the intention to sell, trade, or otherwise receive money or something of value for that merchandise; or
  • When a person uses an artifice, instrument, container, device, or other article to facilitate the removal of merchandise from a retail establishment without paying its purchase price.

Organized retail theft is a Class 4 felony in Arizona under Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) Section 13-1819. A first-time
Continue Reading Organized Retail Theft in Arizona: ARS 13-1819