Understanding Iowa Burglary Degrees

Burglary charges are a serious offense that can have life-altering penalties for both the victim and the criminal. In Iowa, burglary degrees can be defined as entering a building, structure, or property without permission, license, or authorization with the intent to commit theft, felony, or assault.

This also applies to people who stay in structures not open to the public, individuals who stay in a place after it’s shut down from the public, or expiration of licenses that permit them from staying in a property. Penalties for these types of crimes can be hefty and broken down into several categories. Let’s take a deeper dive into Iowa burglary degrees. Read on to learn more.

First-Degree Burglary

First-degree burglary is the most serious type of burglary charge that a person can have. It’s defined as having one or multiple people present in an occupied property or structure, and the following examples apply:

• The criminal committed sexual acts on the victim.
• The criminal intentionally injures or recklessly hurts a person.
• The criminal possesses a dangerous weapon or an explosive device.

This type of burglary can be categorized as a class B felony, which can lock a person up to 25 years in prison. Furthermore, attempted felonies can be classified as a class C felony, which can be a 3-year penalty in jail.

Second-Degree Burglary

Second-degree burglary involves a person entering an occupied building or structure without people present and possessing an explosive device or dangerous weapon that can do serious bodily harm. It can also be someone entering a property with people present while the defendant doesn’t possess a dangerous weapon or explosive, and no injury was caused to a person.

This type of burglary is a class C felony, which can be punishable by up to 10 years in prison. For attempted second-degree burglary, the person would be punished with a class D felony. Get in touch with a burglary defense lawyer if you face these types of charges.

Third-Degree Burglary

Burglary in the third-degree catches all the circumstances that don’t fall into the first- or second-degree. It is considered a class D felony. A person caught doing this act will be charged with misdemeanor charges.

Third-degree can also be charged for people who stole an unoccupied vehicle, vessel, or truck. The first offense for these crimes would be aggravated misdemeanor and class D felony for any following crimes. For attempted burglary, the person will be charged with serious and aggravated misdemeanor for subsequent offenses.

Call a Professional for Help

If you’ve been charged with burglary, seeking the help of a professional should be at the top of your list. If you’re looking for a trusted burglary defense lawyer in Iowa , you should call Fitch & Stahle Law Office. Our lawyers can help you protect your rights, review your case, and more. Contact us today!