While young adults are not the same as juvenile offenders, they may certainly make mistakes in their lives that they later regret. A 20-year-old woman was recently arrested here in North Carolina for alleged vandalism and other related crimes. Although she may be young by many people’s standards, the court system will treat her the same as it would any other adult. This means she could be facing hefty fines or even jail time if she’s convicted of any of the property crimes that she is accused of committing. This could have a profound impact upon her future that a person her age may not have considered.
According to officials, the woman painted arbitrary words on several buildings, including a high school, a private residence and a business. She also stands accused of vandalizing road signs and a vehicle in the same manner as well as burglarizing a fast-food restaurant. Police launched an investigation that led them to the woman, and they claim they also found evidence of the crimes in her residence.
She has since been charged with multiple counts of malicious destruction of property, burglary and more. Police have not said precisely what led them to suspect her. Sometimes property crimes are solved by eyewitness testimony or surveillance footage, though it is not known whether either of these methods were used by police in this case. The woman has been released on bond pending further court proceedings.
Though property crimes like those alleged here may seem harmless, conviction has the possibility of changing the entire trajectory of a young person’s life. Besides having to fulfill a jail sentence or pay a large fine, a person with a criminal record could have difficulty securing a job or a loan. Working with a criminal defense attorney here in North Carolina may be an accused person’s best bet when attempting to secure his or her future.