Robbery in Virginia

Robbery is when a person tries to obtain anything from the other person forcefully; it can be money, property or anything. Mostly the robbery is for money and the mobiles and precious items. Armed robbery is another robbery kind which involves firearms, weapons to obtain money, property or anything from the victim. The Commonwealth of Virginia also declares it as aggravated robbery sometimes and also armed robbery when the intention is to obtain anything with the help of firearms. If the victim suffers any injury while the armed robbery takes place, then it can be called the aggravated robbery.

What does the Law say?

According to the Code of Virginia 18.2-58, If any person commit robbery by partial strangulation, or suffocation, or by striking or beating, or by other violence to the person, or by assault or otherwise putting a person in fear of serious bodily harm, or by the threat or presenting of firearms or other deadly weapon or instrumentality whatsoever, he shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by confinement in a state correctional facility for life or any term not less than five years.

The amount you are obtaining and by how much force you are obtaining it with, does not matter. If you use any weapon, you will face serious consequences. It is just robbery until you don’t touch the victim and don’t bring any bodily injury or physical harm to life while obtaining money or any property.

Mandatory Punishments

There can be bail for the person who is in the jail. If you are convicted of the robbery crime or armed robbery crime, then you will be sentenced to jail for some specific time; which is mostly five years initial. Before studying more sentencing, the code of Virginia does show the leverage and sets an amount of mandatory period. For, E.g., if you are sentenced to jail for six months under Felony 6, then there will be 30 days of mandatory prison for you. There are no exceptions can be made, and you cannot escape the mandatory imprisonment at any cost. No lawyer or attorney can get you the leverage for the mandatory imprisonment either. It doesn’t stay still, every time you are charged with the robbery crime, the mandatory period will increase. Let’s suppose if you are charged with the robbery crime for the second time, and your mandatory prison time was 30 days last time, then it will be 60 days this time, and you cannot appeal for it.

The minimum sentence for the armed robbery is three years if you have convicted it for the first time. Although, it can exceed ten years or even lifetime depending on the severity of the case and if other crimes have been involved besides robbery. But, the criminal has to spend the time behind bars for three years at least if he commits armed robbery. Assault, battery or any other charges while armed robbery will only increase the penalties, punishments, and sentencing period.