Felony Charges in Pasco County

If you were arrested for a felony offense in Pasco County, FL, you might be required to attend a first appearance advisory hearing before being allowed to bond out of jail.

During the 21 days after a felony arrest, the State Attorney’s Office will conduct an “invest.” During the “invest,” the prosecutor will speak to any alleged victim or critical witnesses.

Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, these meetings took place in person. The witness would receive a subpoena to appear in person at the State Attorney’s Office. During the COVID-19 crisis, many of these meetings are occurring over the phone or remote video conferencing.

If you retain an attorney immediately after the arrest, your attorney can contact the State Attorney’s Office to present mitigating evidence. We often talk with witnesses and then provide a summary of the testimony to the prosecutor. In some cases, we ask the witness to write an affidavit explaining what they know about the case.

The actions taken by your criminal defense attorney might make the difference in convincing the prosecutor not to file any charges during that 21 day period after the arrest.

Attorney for Felony Charges in Pasco County, FL

The attorneys at Sammis Law Firm represent clients charged with felony charges in Pasco County, FL. These cases are prosecuted at the courthouse in New Port Richey and Dade City, FL.

We can represent you at every stage of the case, including the first appearance advisory hearing that takes place the next day after the arrest if you are not allowed to immediately bond out of jail.

Our criminal defense attorneys are familiar with the procedures used by prosecutors at the State Attorney’s Office when investigating felony offenses.

In these cases, it is important to have a criminal defense attorney who can present all of the favorable evidence to the prosecutor in an attempt to show them while less serious charges or no charges should be file.

Call 813-250-0500.

State Attorney’s Investigations in Felony Cases in Pasco County

The victims of felony crimes in Pasco County, FL, and critical witnesses might be notified of a meeting at the State Attorney’s Office for an “invest.” The “invest” is a face to face meeting that provides the alleged victim or critical witness with an opportunity to provide a sworn statement to a prosecutor regarding the incident.

The “invest” meeting with the prosecutor provides the alleged victim or witness with the opportunity to provide input regarding whether the charges should be filed or what should happen at the sentencing. The face to face meeting gives the prosecutor the opportunity to evaluate the testimony of the alleged victim or witnesses.

Although the defendant and his attorney are not present, the defense can also present information during the earliest stages of the case, including exculpatory evidence or mitigation.

What is the Difference Between a Felony and a Misdemeanor in Florida?

A misdemeanor is punishable by up to 265 days in the county jail. On the other hand, a felony is punishable by more than a year in prison. In addition to the

The statutory maximum amount of prison time that the court can impose depends on several factors, including how the felony is classified and the points listed on Florida’s felony scoresheet. The scoresheet takes into account the seriousness of the primary charge, any other crimes charged, the Defendant’s prior record, and the harm caused to the victim.

In Florida, felonies are classified into different degrees including:

• a third degree felony – punishable by up to five (5) years in prison and a $5,000 fine;
• a second degree felony – punishable by up to fifteen (15) years in prison and a $10,000 fine;
• a first degree felony – punishable by up to thirty (30) years in prison and a $10,000 fine;
• a life felony – punishable by up to life in prison without the possibility of parole or probation for the remainder of the defendant’s life and a $15,000 fine;
• a capital felony – punishable by life in prison without the possibility of parole or death.

Florida’s Criminal Punishment Code Scoresheet

In 1997, the Florida Legislature enacted the Criminal Punishment Code. Any person sentenced on a felony charge has a scoresheet. The primary offense is assigned an offense severity level ranking from Levels 1 to Level 10.

On the felony scoresheet, points are assigned based upon the level ranking assigned to the primary offense. Additional offenses are also assigned points. More points might be assigned for prior convictions on the criminal history. The points must be increased for other factors such as the victim’s injury.

The lowest permissible sentence is any nonstate prison sanction in which total sentence points equal or are less than 44 points, unless the court determines that a prison sentence is appropriate.

If total sentence points exceed 44 points, the lowest permissible sentence in prison months is calculated by subtracting 28 points from the total sentence points and decreasing the remaining total by 25 percent.

Unless the court determines that mitigation exists, then the permissible sentencing range under Florida’s Criminal Punishment Code scoresheet is generally the lowest permissible sentence. The court can impose a harsher sentence that is up to the statutory maximum.

Examples of Third Degree Felonies in Florida

Examples of third degree felony offenses in Florida include:

24.118(3)(a) Counterfeit or altered lottery ticket
212.054(2)(b) Discretionary sales surtax
212.15(2)(b) Failure to remit sales taxes
316.066(6)(b)-(d) Unlawfully obtaining or using confidential crash reports
319.30(4) Possession by junkyard of vehicle with plate removed
319.30(5) Sell, exchange, or give certificate of title or plate
319.33(1)(a) Alter or forge certificate of title to motor vehicle
319.33(1)(c) Procure or pass title to stolen vehicle
319.33(4) Possess or sell unlawfully obtained title
319.35(1)(a) Tamper or adjust odometer
320.26(1)(a) Counterfeit, manufacture, or sell license plates
322.212(1)(a)-(c) Possession of forged, stolen, counterfeit driver’s license
322.212(4) Supply unauthorized driver’s license
322.212(5)(a) False application for driver’s license
328.05(2) Possess, sell, etc. counterfeit title to vessels
328.07(4) Manufacture or sell vessel with wrong ID number
370.12(1)(e)3,4 Possession of marine turtle eggs
370.12(1)(e)5 Molesting marine turtles or eggs
370.12(1)(e)6 Soliciting or conspiring to commit violation of Marine Turtle Protection Act
376.302(5) Fraud re: Inland Protection Trust Fund
400.905(1) Operating clinic without license
403.413(5)(c) Dumping waste litter–more than 500 lbs
409.920(2) Medicaid provider fraud
414.39(2) Unauthorized use, forgery, alteration of food stamps or Medicaid ID
414.39(3)(a) Fraudulent misappropriation of public assistance funds
443.071(1) False statement to obtain unemployment benefits
440.105(3)(b) Receipt of fee without approval of judge–compensation claims
440.1051(3) False report of workers compensation fraud or retaliation
456.065(2)(d)1 Practicing a health care profession without license
458.327(1) Practicing medicine without a license
459.013(1) Practicing osteopathic medicine without license
460.411(1) Practicing chiropractic medicine without license
461.012(1) Practicing podiatric medicine without license
462.17 Practicing naturopathy without a license
463.015(1) Practicing optometry without a license
464.016(1) Practicing nursing without a license
465.015(2) Practicing pharmacy without a license
466.026(1) Practicing dentistry without license
467.201 Practicing midwifery without a license
468.366 Delivering respiratory care services without license
483.828(1) Practicing as clinical laboratory personnel without license
483.901(9) Practicing medical physics without a license
484.013(1)(c) Preparing or dispensing optical devices without prescription
484.053 Dispensing hearing aids without a license
499.0051(1) Failure to maintain or deliver pedigree papers
499.0051(2) Failure to authenticate pedigree papers
509.151(1) Defraud an innkeeper
517.07 Registration of securities and furnishing prospectus
517.302(1) Violation of Florida Securities and Investor Protection Act
560.123(8)(b)1 Failure to report currency or payment instruments
560.125(5)(a) Money transmitter business by unauthorized person
562.27(1) Possess still or apparatus
624.401(4) Transacting insurance without certificate
626.902(1)(a),(b) Representing unauthorized insurer
655.50(10)(b)1 Failure to report financial transactions
713.69 Tenant removes property on which lien has accrued
806.13(1)(b)3 Criminal mischief
810.061(2) Impairing power to dwelling
810.09(2)(e) Trespassing–commercial horticulture property
812.014(2)(c)1 Grand theft
812.014(2)(c)2 Grand theft
812.014(3)(c) Petit theft–3rd conviction
812.015(7) Possession of use of anti-shoplifting device countermeasure
812.015(8) Retail theft
812.081(2) Unlawfully make reproduction of trade secret
815.04(4)(a) Offense against intellectual property
817.234(1)(a)2 False statement in support of insurance claim
817.234(8)(b),(c) Unlawful solicitation of persons involved in motor vehicle accidents
817.234(11)(a) Insurance fraud
817.2341(1), (2)(a), (3)(a) Filing false financial statements
817.236 Filing false motor vehicle insurance application
817.2361 Creating false insurance card
817.413(2) Sale of used goods as new
817.481(3)(a) Obtain credit or purchase with false or expired credit card
817.505(4) Patient brokering
817.52(2) Hiring with intent to defraud
817.52(3) Failure to redeliver hired vehicle
817.54 Obtain mortgage by false representation
817.568(2)(a)Fraudulent use of personal identification information
817.60(5), (6)(a) Dealing in credit cards of another; purchase goods with false card
817.61 Fraudulent use of credit cards
817.625(2)(a) Fraudulent use of scanning device or reencoder
825.102(3)(c) Neglect of an elderly person or disabled adult
826.01 Bigamy
826.04 Knowingly marries or has sex with person to whom related
827.03(3)(c) Neglect of a child
831.01 Forgery
831.02 Uttering forged instrument
831.04(1) Erasure or alteration of deed, map, plat
831.07Forging bank bills, drafts, checks, etc.
831.09 Uttering forged notes, bills, checks, drafts
831.11Bringing into state forged bills, etc.
831.28(2)(a) Counterfeiting payment instrument
832.041(1) Stopping payment with intent to defraud
832.05(2)(b), (4)(c) Issuing worthless check or obtaining property in exchange-$150 or more
832.05(3)(a) Cashing or depositing with intent to defraud
837.02(1) Perjury in official proceedings
837.021(1) Make contradictory statements in official proceedings
838.022 Official misconduct
838.15(2) Commercial bribe receiving
838.16 Commercial bribery
839.13(2)(a) Falsifying records of an individual in custody of state agency
839.13(2)(c) Falsifying records of the Department of Children and Family Services
849.01 Keeping gambling house
849.09(1)(a)-(d) Set up or promote lottery
849.23 Gambling related machines
849.25(2) Engaging in bookmaking
860.15(3) Overcharging for repairs or parts
893.13(2)(a)2 Purchase of drugs other than cannabis
893.13(2)(a)2, (6)(a) Purchase or possession of cannabis
893.13(6)(a) Possession of controlled substance other than felony cannabis
893.13(7)(a)8 Withholding information from practitioner regarding receipt of prescription
893.13(7)(a)9 Obtaining controlled substance by fraud
893.13(7)(a)10 Affix false or forged label to package of controlled substance
893.13(7)(a)11 Furnish false information on document or record per chpt. 893
893.147(2) Manufacture or delivery of drug paraphernalia
896.101(5)(a) Money laundering
896.104(4)(a)1 Structuring transactions to evade reporting or registration
914.14(2) Witnesses accepting bribes
918.13(1)(a) Alter, destroy, or conceal investigation evidence
934.03(1)(a) Intercepts wire or oral communication
934.215 Use of two-way communications device to commit crime

Examples of Second Degree Felonies

Examples of second degree felony offenses in Florida include:

• 440.10(1)(g) Failure to obtain workers’ compensation coverage
• 440.105(5) Unlawful solicitation for the purpose of worker’s comp. claim
• 440.381(2) Submission of false information for workers’ comp. claim
• 456.065(2)(d)2 Practicing a health care profession without license
• 499.0051(3) Forgery of pedigree papers
• 499.0051(4) Purchase or receipt of legend drug from unauthorized person
• 560.123(8)(b)2 Failure to report currency or payment instruments
• 560.125(5)(b) Money transmitter business by unauthorized person
• 624.401(4)(b)2 Transacting insurance without a certificate 14
• 626.902(1)(c) Representing an unauthorized insurer; repeat offender
• 655.50(10)(b)2 Failure to report financial transactions
• 812.014(2)(b)1 Grand theft
• 812.015( 9) Retail theft
• 812.014(2)(b)2,3 Grand theft
• 817.034(4)(a)2 Communications fraud
• 817.234(11)(b) Insurance fraud
• 817.234(8)(a) Solicitation of motor vehicle accident victims, intent to defraud
• 817.4821(5) Possess cloning paraphernalia
• 817.625(2)(b) Second or subsequent fraudulent use of scanning device or reencoder
• 831.29 Possession of instruments for counterfeiting driver’s licenses
• 837.02(2) Perjury in official proceedings relating to capital felony
• 837.021(2) Making contradictory statements in proceedings relating to capital felony
• 838.015 Bribery
• 838.016 Unlawful compensation or reward for official behavior
• 838.22 Bid tampering
• 893.13(2)(a)1 Purchase of cocaine
• 896.104(4)(a)2 Structuring transactions to evade reporting or registration

This article was last updated on Monday, May 11, 2026.