Harboring a fugitive is a very serious crime in Oklahoma. If you have not retained a Wagoner criminal defense attorney, you need to call our office immediately in order to protect your legal rights to a fair trial. You may be facing a prison sentence if you are found guilty of harboring a fugitive in Wagoner.
How Does the Law Define Harboring a Fugitive in Oklahoma?
According to Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 440, “Any person who shall knowingly feed, lodge, clothe, arm, equip in whole or in part, harbor, aid, assist or conceal in any manner any person guilty of any felony, or outlaw, or fugitive from justice, or any person seeking to escape arrest for any felony committed within this state or any other state or territory, shall be guilty of a felony.”
The statute is written to be broad enough to cover anything that you may do to help a fugitive. Harbor does not necessarily mean that you must give the person a place to stay or allow them to come into your home. If you offer any aid to someone to assist them in avoiding arrest or evading incarceration, you are guilty of harboring a fugitive.
According to the statute, it is not necessary for the person to be convicted of a crime for that person to be a “fugitive.” Any person who has been charged with a felony and is attempting to evade arrest or incarceration is considered a fugitive. Therefore, if you simply know that the person has been charged with a felony and provide aid to that person, you can be found guilty of harboring a fugitive.
Punishment for Harboring a Fugitive in Wagoner
The penalty for harboring a fugitive can be severe; therefore, you do not want to risk trying to represent yourself against this charge. You also do not want to hire an attorney who does not have adequate criminal defense experience. You need an experienced Wagoner felony attorney to defend a charge of harboring a fugitive.
According to Oklahoma criminal laws, harboring a fugitive is a felony offense. If you are convicted of harboring a fugitive, you will serve up to 10 years in the State Penitentiary. It may be tempting to help someone you know who is charged with a felony escape prosecution; however, the possible sentence that you could receive if found guilty is a steep price to pay.
Several defenses are available to you if you have been charged with harboring a fugitive. Contact our office to speak with one of our experienced Wagoner felony lawyers to discuss your legal options.
Initial Strategy Session: Wagoner Criminal Defense Attorney
For a low-cost consultation with a Wagoner, Oklahoma felony lawyer, call the Wirth Law Office – Wagoner at 918-485-0335. Or, as always, you may enter a legal question in the form at the top right of this page.
You are under no obligation after your initial consultation; therefore, we urge you to contact us to assist you with this criminal charge.
