In New York State, providing support for or soliciting an act of terrorism can land you serving a sentence of a minimum two years if convicted of the lower level class D felony. The New York penal code separates the act of providing support for or soliciting an act of terrorism into two degrees, the lower mentioned above and the higher degree being a class C felony meaning the maximum sentence can be up to fifteen years. If you have questions about what constitutes a terrorist threat, please see our article that goes into detail on that topic specifically. However, if you have been charged with soliciting or providing support for an act of terrorism in either degree, please call now for a free consultation with one of our experienced New York criminal attorneys.
The lower of the two degrees is soliciting or providing support for an act of terrorism in the second degree. As mentioned above, this level of the offense is a class D felony meaning a maximum of seven years if convicted and the court uses its discretion to issue the maximum sentence. This level of the offense applies when a person acts with intent that the material resource or support will be used in whole or in part and provides, solicits, raises or collects material resources or support for an act of terrorism. Such acts can consist of planning in whole or in part, preparation, aiding in or carrying out an act of terrorism or escaping from or concealing the act.
For the higher level of this offense to apply, al the same characteristics as above apply, but the total value of the material resources or support is in excess of $1,000. As an example, if a person collects the materials needed for the single bomb that another person is trying to make and the total of the materials is only a few hundred, the lower level of the offense would apply. However, if multiple bombs are being made and the first person spends $1250 on the supplies, the higher level of the offense would apply. As mentioned above, the higher level of the offense is a class C felony, meaning a maximum of 15 years if convicted and given the highest sentence possible.
Regardless of the level of the offense, charges of soliciting or providing support for an act of terrorism are incredibly serious charges and should not be taken lightly. It is important to have an attorney you can trust by your side to advocate for your rights and your best interest in the court room. Our experienced New York criminal attorneys are here to take your call and begin discussing your case with you. With years of criminal defense work, our team will do our best to advocate on your behalf for the best possible outcome regarding your charges. Don’t let the confusing and complex court proceedings drag you down, have an attorney you can trust by your side throughout the process. Call now for a free consultation.