Tennessee Criminal Lawyer Blog

Criminal attorneys in Tennessee understand that a conviction for any theft-related offense will have serious consequences beyond jail and restitution. Criminal simulation in Tennessee closely resembles the offense of theft. Any conviction of theft or criminal simulation will adversely affect your family, and damage your reputation within the community. Since these crimes are considered to be crimes of dishonesty, a conviction will negatively affect your career, ability to get a job, and capacity to obtain or maintain a professional license. According to Tennessee law, a person commits the offense of criminal simulation who with intent to defraud or harm another:

• Makes or alters an object, in whole or in part, so that it appears to have value because of age, antiquity, rarity, source, or authorship that it does not have;
• Possesses an object so made or altered, with intent to sell, pass, or otherwise utter it; or
• Authenticates or certifies an object so made or altered as genuine or as different from what it is; or

A person also commits the offense of criminal simulation who with intent to sell, cause to be sold, or to be used for profit through public performance, and without consent of the owner of the master recording:

• Knowingly transfers, by any means, any sounds or images recorded on a phonograph record, disc, wire, tape, film or other recording article to another such recording article;
• Knowingly manufactures, distributes, or wholesales any sounds or images recorded on a phonograph record, disc, wire, tape, film or other recording article to another such recording article; or
• Knowingly retails any sounds or images recorded on a phonograph record, disc, wire, tape, film or other recording article to another such recording article. Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-115 (2007).

A person possessing, with knowledge of its character:

• Any machinery, plates, or other contrivances designed to produce instruments reporting to be credit or debit cards of an issuer who had not consented to the preparation of such cards; or
• Any instrument, apparatus, or contrivance designed, adapted or used for commission of any theft of property or services by fraudulent means; commits criminal simulation. Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-115 (2007).

Criminal simulation is punishable as theft, but shall always be at a minimum a class E felony. If you are charged with theft or criminal simulation in Tennessee, contact a criminal defense attorney. Our lawyers handle these charges in Johnson City, Knoxville, Newport, Sevierville, Maryville, Morristown, and Bristol.