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Fraud – Bad Checks, Credit Cards, Forgery, etc.

Maryland fraud crimes can result in serious penalties, even for relatively small dollar values. A bad check or credit card fraud of only $501 could result in a sentence of up to fifteen years, and being permanently branded as a felon. Forgery of a check for even $1 is a felony with a sentence of up to 10 years. Even if you avoid a lengthy sentence, having a felony conviction impacts your right to vote and your right to own a gun, and can make it very difficult to find housing or employment. I can help make sure that these serious potential consequences never occur.

Maryland fraud crimes are often tiered based on value, and they tend to be similar across categories. For instance, the penalties for various categories of fraud of the same value with a credit card and a check are, speaking generally, very similar. For fraud crimes with a dollar amount, if you are charged on a value of under $100, the maximum sentence is 90 days imprisonment, and a fine. If you are charged on a value of under $500, the maximum sentence is 18 months, and a fine. Both of these are misdemeanors. If the value is more than $500, the crime is a felony, with a sentence of up to 15 years and a fine of up to $1,000. There are some exceptions to the above, but for fraud crimes where punishment is based upon a dollar value, the punishments are tiered roughly as shown.

While there are separate and very different penalties for fraud crimes with a value of less than $100 and a value of less than $500, they are not mutually exclusive. A one dollar item has a value of less than $500, and it also has a value of less than $100. This gives the prosecutor the discretion to charge either crime where the fraud has a value of under $100, potentially resulting in very different sentences depending on how that discretion is exercised.

People view a conviction for fraud related offenses as a strong indication that you cannot be trusted. Convictions for these crimes can have a very severe negative impact on your career and on your life. A conviction for any of these crimes will often cause you to lose any professional licenses or security clearances that you may have, and can make it incredibly difficult to find or keep a job. Since convictions for these crimes are viewed so much more negatively than many other crimes with similar sentences, credit card fraud, bad checks, and other fraud related crimes can be particularly dangerous to your future.

If you’ve been charged for bad checks, credit card fraud, theft, fraud, or any similar offense, you need a lawyer to vigorously defend your rights and your future earning power. Call (301) 556-8709 today so that we can get to work on your case.


Maryland has a variety of criminal false statement and false reporting laws, covering multiple varieties of making a false report or statement to police officers, and other officials. The best way to avoid running afoul of these laws is to simply not speak, and to assert your fifth amendment right to remain silent. Unfortunately, if you are already facing criminal charges for a Maryland false statement or false report offenses, you are going to need my help to resolve your case in a way that keeps your . . . .

Forgery of private documents is a serious crime in Maryland. It is a felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years and a maximum fine of $1000. It is a serious charge that requires a lawyer. I can handle these serious charges for you, protecting your freedom and employment. Call me at (301) 556‑8709, because your reputation is important. One of the most common types of forgery or counterfeiting charged in Maryland is CL § 8-602, Counterfeiting or Forgery of Private Documents. . . . .

A bad check offense can destroy your reputation and result in serious penalties, even if the check has a very low dollar value. Any conviction for a bad check offense can make it very difficult to find housing or employment, as it is an offense that indicates to people that you cannot be trusted. Passing or issuing a bad check with a value of only $500 is a felony, and can result in a sentence of up to fifteen years. Bad check charges all have a mens rea, which means that you must know or intend that . . . .

If you are accused of committing any form of credit card fraud in Maryland, you may also be charged with any number of crimes that cover the same behavior. Many credit card crimes are also charged as theft or identity theft. Under Maryland's identity theft statute, a credit card number qualifies as personal identifying information, and the identity theft statute is often read by court commissioners to cover the behavior of people who merely use another person's credit card, even if they do not . . . .