There are many people that make decisions in their life that may negatively affect them. They lie, cheat, steal, and in some cases, even kidnap someone. Should someone decide to kidnap a man, woman or child, whether or not they are aware of the consequences of their actions, there is a chance they will have to answer for the wrong they have done. Every state has a set of laws and a list of possible consequences for breaking them. California is no different.
In California, there are two ways that the courts choose to handle common kidnapping charges. One way is by imprisonment. The sentence of prison will vary, but those who have been convicted may have to serve three years, five years or eight years. If they kidnapped a child, depending on the child’s age, they could serve a sentence of five years, eight years or 11 years.
Another consequence is probation. This may be a more favorable sentence, but should it be agreed that a person will be on probation, they still have to serve at least a year in jail before probation can begin. This means that if you kidnap another person or child, it is likely that you will have to serve at least one year in jail.
Kidnapping is a serious, federal crime, so if you’re charged with it, you should realize that you could do time for this offense. An attorney may be able to help you convince a judge to not give you a harsh sentence for this crime.