Casino Crimes Lawyer in Atlantic City
Local Atlantic County Casino Crime Defense Attorney Defends You Against Disorderly Conduct, Theft and Weapons Charges
A fun escape to Atlantic City, NJ can quickly turn into a nightmare if you or one of your traveling companions gets arrested and charged with a crime. Atlantic City has been known to bring out the best and worst in people. There’s so much to see and do, too much temptation for some. When the good times go bad at the casino, the boardwalk or anywhere else in Atlantic City, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney on your side.
Whether you are a New Jersey resident who drove down to the Jersey shore, a casino employee accused of stealing chips, or an out-of-state resident who flew in for a weekend convention, a conviction for a casino crime can haunt you for the rest of your life and negatively impact your family and your finances. The penalties in these cases can be severe. Since most casino crimes are classified as felony-level offenses, even first-time offenders are subject to prison time if convicted. When you find yourself if trouble, it’s important to choose a lawyer like John W. Tumelty. He is local and knows the ins and outs of Atlantic County and Atlantic City courtrooms.
What Types of Crimes Typically Occur in Atlantic City Casinos?
Casinos are prime environments for crimes and arrests. Often, the mixture of high hopes, bad luck at the gaming tables and plenty of free alcohol lays the foundation for criminal actions. Some of the crimes that typically occur on the casino floor include:
- Casino theft – This includes swindling, fraud, stealing chips, unpaid markers, and use of counterfeit coins. When a casino extends you credit in the form of a marker, you are required to pay the marker. However, this is often difficult if you’ve suffered bad luck while gambling. In these cases, unpaid markers are treated like bad checks and prosecuted as serious theft crimes.
- Cheating scams – Examples include use of a device to obtain an advantage at a casino game, unlawful use of bogus chips, counting cards, use of marked cards, use of loaded dice, and past posting.
- Underage gambling – It is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to set foot on a casino gaming floor.
- Disorderly conduct in casino hotels – Verbal or physical altercations on the casino floor can quickly escalate and result in your arrest.
- Assaults – Casino security personnel won’t hesitate to act on minor infractions. It is not uncommon for the casino to press assault charges against the victim when security comes over to address a situation and uses too much force.
- Criminal trespass – Anyone who remains on casino property after being told to leave or banned from the premises may be charged with trespassing.
- Gun charges – If your weapons permit was not applicable in New Jersey, you could be charged with illegal possession of a handgun.
Most casino crimes are felony-level offenses. This means that if you are convicted, you could be looking at serious prison time, as well as a permanent criminal record. For example, if you are charged with theft of casino chips, checks, or markers at a casino, you could be charged with a second degree felony and face up to 10 years in NJ State Prison.
An experienced criminal defense lawyer may be able to get your charges dismissed or downgraded. In some cases, you may be eligible for admission into a diversionary program such as Pre-Trial Intervention (PTI). PTI is a rehabilitative program that allows you to perform community service instead of going to jail. Upon successful completion of the program, the charges against you will be dismissed and your permanent record will be clear of a criminal conviction. Since the eligibility requirements for these kinds of alternative sentencing programs vary, you should speak with a criminal defense lawyer who has experience representing clients in casino crimes cases.
Experienced Atlantic County Casino Crimes Lawyer Offers Comprehensive Defense against Casino Crimes and Criminal Charges
If you’ve been charged with a casino crime in New Jersey, you need to act quickly to secure effective legal representation. The faster you act, the faster your lawyer can reach out to the local county prosecutor and begin working on getting your charges dismissed or downgraded. If you are an out-of-state resident, Mr. Tumelty may be able to appear in court on your behalf and eliminate the need for you to travel back to New Jersey for a trial.
John W. Tumelty, founding partner of the Law Offices of John W. Tumelty, is a criminal defense lawyer. For the past 35 years, he has prosecuted and defended individuals accused of crimes in Atlantic City casinos. He is a former Deputy Attorney General in the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, Division of Criminal Justice, as well as a former Assistant County Prosecutor for the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, Trial Section. His extensive experience as a local prosecutor gives him an edge as a defense attorney because he has insider’s knowledge of prosecutorial tactics.
Call the Law Offices of John W. Tumelty or use the online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. Mr. Tumelty represents clients charged with casino crimes and other offenses throughout Atlantic County and Cape May County.
