If you are charged with kidnapping in New York, the team of dedicated trial attorneys at Tacopina Seigel & DeOreo in New York City can offer a robust defense. Whatever the gravity of the allegations against you, we will be in your corner, helping you fight for the best possible outcome. With careful preparation and attention to detail, our legal team will craft a strategy to fit the circumstances of your case.
Kidnapping is classified as a violent crime in New York, whether or not there is an accompanying assault. Under New York law, a kidnapping occurs when one person abducts another person, whether the abducted person is a child or an adult. To abduct is to restrain a person with the intent to prevent their liberation, either by secreting or holding the person in a place where they are unlikely to be found or by using or threatening deadly force.
Kidnapping cases often draw media attention at the state and national level. As the defendant in a kidnapping case, your life may be turned upside down. Our firm, being focused on criminal law, has defended numerous high-profile individuals and has successfully used media attention to the advantage of our clients.
There are two levels of kidnapping charges in New York: first and second degree.
Kidnapping in the first degree is a class A-I felony, the highest level under New York law. A person commits this crime when he or she abducts another person in one of the following circumstances:
Kidnapping in the first degree is punishable by a minimum of 15 years and as much as life in prison.
Kidnapping in the second degree, occurs when one person abducts another person. It is a class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison, along with monetary fines.
A lesser offense than kidnapping is unlawful imprisonment, a class A misdemeanor, which involves one person restraining another person. If the circumstances of the restraint expose the restrained person to risk of serious physical injury, the offense is a class E felony.
Whether you are accused of kidnapping a minor or an adult, we will respond to each of the prosecutor’s claims with a thorough defense. We will leverage the evidence to assert your rights, exploiting all weaknesses in the government’s case and seeking the best outcome through pretrial efforts or before a jury.
The aggressive criminal defense attorneys at Tacopina Seigel & DeOreo in New York City represent clients in kidnapping cases in New York State. Our office is located in Manhattan near Grand Central Station. To schedule a free initial consultation with our office, call 212-227-8877 or contact us online.