North Carolina Felony Charges
Felony charges in North Carolina carry strict penalties. North Carolina defines felonies as any crimes that carry prison sentences or the death penalty. The state uses a specific grid in sentencing felonies. If you are charged with a felony, contact the attorneys at Sandman, Finn, and Fitzhugh for legal representation and a free consultation. North Carolina laws for felony charges and punishment are complex requiring knowledge and experience to properly represent you and fight for your rights.
Felony Charges by Class
Felony crimes are organized into 10 categories indicated with letters, Class A to Class I. Class B felonies are divided into B1 and B2. Class A is the most serious felony level and Class I is the least serious. If a statute states that a crime is a felony but does not classify it, the offense is punishable as a Class I felony. To learn more about the specific sentencing of felony crimes in North Carolina, visit our page dedicated to felony crimes by class and sentences.
Class A Felonies
Class A felonies have the harshest sentences in North Carolina with either life imprisonment with or without parole or the death penalty. First-degree murder is a Class A felony.
Class B Felonies
A B1 felony is punished with 16 to 40 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life without parole.
Class B1 Felony Charges Include:
- Second-degree murder
- First-degree forcible rape/first-degree statutory rape
- First-degree forcible sexual offense/first-degree statutory sexual offense
Class B2 felonies have a standard punishment of 10 to 26 years in prison, with a maximum punishment of 40 years.
Class B2 Felony Charges Include:
- Trafficking of minors
- Child abuse causing serious bodily injury
- Death by unlawful distribution of drugs
Class C Felonies
Class C felonies carry a standard prison sentence of 5 to 12 years and a maximum punishment of 19 years.
Class C Felony Charges Include:
- Second-degree forcible rape
- Second-degree forcible sexual offense
- Assault with a deadly weapon (intent to kill, inflict serious injury)
- First-degree kidnapping
- Embezzlement of an amount of $100,000 or more
Class D Felonies
Class D felonies have a standard sentence of 4 to 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 17 years.
Class D Felony Charges Include:
- Voluntary manslaughter
- First-degree burglary
- First-degree arson
- Armed robbery
- Child abuse inflicting serious physical injury
- Death by vehicle
- Sell or deliver a controlled substance to a person under 16 but older than 13 years of age
Class E Felonies
Class E felony convictions are punishable by a standard sentence of 2 to 4 years of imprisonment. The maximum penalty is 7 years.
Class E Felony Charges Include:
- Sexual activity by a substitute parent or custodian
- Assault with a deadly weapon
- Discharging a weapon into occupied property
- Assault with a firearm on a law enforcement officer
- Second-degree kidnapping
- Sell or deliver a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school
Class F Felonies
Class F felonies carry one to 3 years in prison and a maximum punishment of 5 years.
Class F Felony Charges Include:
- Involuntary manslaughter
- Assault inflicting serious bodily injury
- Assault with a deadly weapon on a governmental officer or employee
- Assault that inflicts serious bodily injury on a law enforcement officer
- Felonious restraint
- Burning of certain buildings
- Taking indecent liberties with children
- Patronizing a prostitute (minor)
- Possessing a weapon of mass destruction
- Habitual impaired driving
Class G Felonies
Class G felonies carry a standard sentencing range of 10 months to 2 years and a maximum punishment of 47 months in prison.
Examples of Class G felonies are:
- Second-degree burglary
- Second-degree arson
- Common law robbery
- Identity theft
- Possession of firearms by a felon
- Sale of a Schedule I or II controlled substance
Class H Felonies
Class H felonies carry a standard sentencing range of 5 to 20 months of imprisonment and a maximum penalty of 3 years.
Examples of Class H felonies are:
- Assault by strangulation
- Possessing stolen goods
- Dog fighting
- Habitual misdemeanor assault
- Breaking or entering buildings with felonious intent
- Fraudulently setting fire to dwelling houses
- Larceny of property that is worth more than $1,000
- Embezzlement of an amount less than $100,000
- Obtaining property by false pretenses (amount involved less than $100,000)
- Hit and run resulting in injury
- Sale of a Schedule III, IV, V, or VI controlled substance
- Possession of cocaine with an intent to manufacture, sell, or distribute
Class I Felonies
Class I felonies are the least serious and are punishable by 4 to 10 months in prison with the maximum punishment being 2 years.
Examples of Class I felonies are:
- Breaking or entering motor vehicles
- Financial transaction card theft
- Forgery of notes, checks, and securities
- Possession with the intent to manufacture, sell, or distribute marijuana
- Possess cocaine
- Maintain a dwelling or motor vehicle for keeping or selling a controlled substance
- Obtain a controlled substance by fraud
- Removing a firearm serial number
- Possessing a firearm on school grounds
Contact Sandman, Finn, and Fitzhugh for Felony Charge Defense in Raleigh
North Carolina’s felony laws impose strict penalties with no statutes of limitations. If you have been accused or charged with a felony, you need expert legal representation as soon as possible. Our legal team at Sandman, Finn, and Fitzhugh are experienced and knowledgeable about the complexities of felony charges and sentencing in North Carolina. Contact us by calling (919) 845-6688 or filling out the contact form to request a free consultation.