In the state of California, it is illegal to deliberately alter a VIN. There are a number of reasons that a person may choose to alter it, but regardless of the reason it is a crime. Whether you try to change it, remove it, or alter it in another way, you could be charged with altering a VIN if the authorities find out. Read on to learn what to do if this happens to you, and then reach out to Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055 to make an appointment for a consultation.

The potential consequences for a conviction of altering a VIN

In some instances, altering a VIN may be charged as a misdemeanor, which comes with up to one year in jail and fines of as much as $1,000. However, if they believe that you altered the VIN because you wanted to hide the identity of the vehicle before selling it, then you’ll be facing a felony charge. This can come with up to three years in jail and fines of as much as $25,000.

You need an experienced attorney and you’ve found one

This is a serious situation and you need a criminal defense attorney who can help you move forward. You’ve found that in Attorney. At our offices, we don’t shy away from complex cases. We are optimistic about every client’s future but we’ll also be honest with you. Depending on your case, we may work directly with the prosecutor to try and have the charges dropped or reduced, or we may take your case to trial. To learn more about your individual options, reach out to us at (949) 585-9055.

Defense options for a charge of altering a VIN

If you’ve been charged with altering a VIN, then there are several ways we may work to show that you couldn’t have possibly committed the crime. We may raise the possibility that someone else altered the VIN – in fact, they could have done it before you ever owned the car. We may show that while you did indeed alter the VIN, it was accidental and there was no ill intent.

We’ll also take a look at the way in which the police obtained their evidence against you. If the search and seizure wasn’t legal, or it wasn’t legally done, then we can work to have the evidence thrown out. In the event that there is a wealth of legal evidence that you altered the VIN, we will work to show that you didn’t do so to sell stolen cars, which could have the charge reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor.

These are just a few options that may be available to you. If you want to learn more about the options for your specific case, based on the evidence against you and your criminal background, then it’s time to reach out to Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055. Ask for a consultation and we can get started getting your life back on track.