Kidnapping is a very serious criminal offense, and if you are convicted of this crime, you could spend years in prison. There are several different levels of kidnapping charges, and depending on the circumstances surrounding the case, it could even be a federal offense that is tried in the federal court system.
 
If you or a loved one has been charged with this crime, it is absolutely critical that you contact an attorney without delay. At the California Justice Law Group, the legal team will review and evaluate the details of your charges and seek determine how to best defend the case. It is vital that your criminal defense lawyer is high quality and experienced in the criminal justice system in the Los Angeles area if you are facing this extremely serious charge.
 
Penalties for Kidnapping
If one is convicted of kidnapping an individual over 14 years of age, the penalty can be up to 8 years in state prison. If the individual kidnapped was under 14 years old, the penalty could be up to 11 years in prison. In cases in which the individual is put on probation, the court is required to ensure that the convicted person spend 12 months in jail. In some cases, this can be waived with a special reason, but ordinarily, one can expect to spend at least one year incarcerated if convicted of kidnapping. 
 
Cases in which a biological parent or adoptive parent took the child away from the other parent without permission, this also considered to be kidnapping, although the penalties can vary depending upon the circumstances. There is a special statute for this act called "The Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act". If the child is taken out of the state or out of the country, the seriousness of the crime is considered more severe and the penalties will reflect that. If a kidnapping is for ransom, or if the individual kidnapped was injured or died, the penalty will include life in prison without the possibility of parole.
 
Fighting for Your Rights
These are very serious charges and will be treated as such by the prosecutor on the case. State prosecutors are highly dedicated and usually extremely talented in the courtroom. With the backup of law enforcement, every effort will be made to convict the person charged. With these odds, it is vital that you have a criminal defense attorney that is equally talented and resourceful who will aggressively fight for your defense.