In Louisiana, one dollar can turn a minor charge into a serious felony. That gap affects your jail time, your record and your life after the case ends.
How Louisiana law defines theft
Louisiana Revised Statutes 14:67 says theft means taking something that belongs to someone else without their permission. The law then sets penalties based on how much the stolen property is worth. The higher the value, the harsher the punishment.
What the $1,000 threshold means for you
Louisiana law draws a sharp line at $1,000. Crossing that line changes the charge category entirely. The penalties on each side of that threshold look like this:
- Under $1,000: A misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in parish jail, a fine of up to $1,000 or both.
- $1,000 to $4,999: A felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison with or without hard labor, a fine of up to $3,000 or both.
Those numbers reflect a tenfold increase in potential prison time from one charge level to the next.
Why this one dollar changes everything
A felony conviction in Louisiana carries consequences beyond the sentence itself. You may lose certain civil rights, including the right to vote. Background checks for housing and employment will flag the conviction for years. Professional licensing boards may deny or revoke credentials based on a felony record.
The value of stolen property is not always straightforward either. Prosecutors may calculate value differently than you expect. Additional circumstances such as a prior criminal history or allegations of coordinated theft can also affect how charges are filed.
You may speak with a criminal defense attorney
The gap between $999 and $1,000 in a Louisiana theft case is not a technicality. It is a legal line with serious consequences on both sides. An attorney can review how the prosecution calculated the alleged value and identify whether the charge is appropriate.
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