The state of Arizona follows a mandatory sentencing scheme for felony offenders. What this means is that when determining the sentence for a defendant, the judge will look at certain factors to see what range the crime falls into. The Cuadro de sentencias por delitos graves en Arizona can help those convicted of a felony anticipate what punishment they may be up against.

A Bufete de abogadas Belén, our legal team has an extensive knowledge of Arizona’s sentencing laws and guidelines. If you find yourself in legal trouble and are curious as to what sentence you may be looking at, we’ve provided charts for each category below.

If you seek professional counsel and aggressive representation for your case to avoid these harsh sentences, reach out any time by calling our Equipo de defensa criminal las 24 horas a (602) 715-0908.

How Long Do You Go To Jail for a Felony?

Under Arizona law, jail or prison time for a felony conviction varies based on the class of felony, the nature of the offense, and any aggravating factor (or factors) that could impact the defendant’s sentence. This includes the crime’s severity, whether it is classified as a dangerous crime, and the defendant’s criminal record.

Delitos en Arizona are categorized from Class 1 (the most serious) to Class 6 (the least severe), each with specific sentencing ranges. For first-offense, non-dangerous crimes committed in Arizona, you may face the following penalties:

Pautas para las sentencias de Arizona

Las pautas de sentencia para delitos graves regulares en Arizona se dividen en secciones 13-702 y 13-703 de los Estatutos Revisados de Arizona. Entretanto, ARS 13-704 cubre delitos peligrosos y 13-705 cubre delitos peligrosos contra los niños.

Como mencionamos anteriormente, existen múltiples factores que un juez debe considerar para establecer en qué categorías se enmarcan los delitos. Los factores que un juez considerará incluyen si el delito fue un delito peligroso o no peligroso, la edad del acusado, si el acusado tiene antecedentes históricos y si el delito fue una ofensa repetida o la primera.

In the state of Arizona, first-degree murder and second-degree murder are the only crimes charged as Class 1 felonies. Class 1 felonies are not included in the Arizona felony sentencing chart. Cargos de asesinato en primer grado en Arizona se castigan con cadena perpetua o la pena de muerte. Cargos de asesinato en segundo grado en Arizona se castigan con entre 16 años y cadena perpetua.

A dangerous felony is one that is a serious and violent offense. Dangerous crimes possess certain aggravating factors, which in turn lead to an aggravated sentence. In addition to both first and second-degree murder, these charges include:

Factors Considered When Determining a Mitigated or Aggravated Sentence 

When sentencing for felony crimes in Arizona, the court considers both mitigating and aggravating factors to adjust the punishment within a certain range. For a first-time offender charged with a non-dangerous felony, both types of factors are evaluated to determine whether the sentence should be reduced (mitigated) or increased (aggravated).

To qualify for mitigated sentences, the defendant must demonstrate at least two mitigating factors. A mitigating factor includes elements such as the defendant’s participation (or lack thereof), the defendant’s age, or any other relevant factor showing less culpability. This can help reduce jail time for defendants with minimal prior involvement or certain personal circumstances.

On the other side of things, for an aggravated sentence, there must be at least two aggravating factors. These may also involve the victim’s age as well as the use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, the presence of an accomplice, or other factors indicating a higher level of threat or harm.

Historical Prior Felony Convictions

One of the most significant factors in determining sentencing for a felony offense in Arizona is the defendant’s criminal history, especially any prior felonies they may have. Courts look closely at whether the defendant is a first-time offender or a repeat offender.

For a first-time offender, sentences are often at the lower end of the range, allowing for leniency and opportunities for rehabilitation. However, repeat offenders with a prior offense or multiple prior felonies face much harsher sentencing. For these individuals, the court often imposes longer prison terms and fewer options for reduced penalties.

Cuadro de sentencias de AZ

DELITOS GENERALES

With the exception of certain drug convictions, anyone convicted of a first offense, non-dangerous felony is eligible for probation. The sentencing chart for general crimes includes the class of the offense, the mitigated prison sentence, the mandatory minimum sentence, the presumptive sentence, the mandatory maximum sentence, and the aggravated prison sentence.

The sentencing range is as follows:

Cuadro de sentencias por delitos graves de Arizona

NON-DANGEROUS CRIMES WITH PRIOR CONVICTIONS

The sentencing chart for non-dangerous felony offenses with historical priors can be broken down into 3 separate charts based on historical prior felony convictions. Each chart below includes the class of the non-dangerous offenses, mitigated sentence, mandatory minimum, presumptive term, mandatory maximum, and aggravated sentence.

Note that Category 1 represents one prior conviction, Category 2 represents two prior convictions, and Category 3 represents three prior convictions.

The non-dangerous felonies chart is as follows:

tabla de sentencias de delitos graves no peligrosos de arizona

tabla de sentencias de delitos graves no peligrosos de arizona

tabla de sentencias de delitos graves no peligrosos de arizona

DANGEROUS CRIMES

Dangerous felony offenses also have different sentencing guidelines based on the number of previous convictions. Below, we’ll provide two charts. The first is for dangerous offenses with historical priors. A historical prior is any Class 3 felony conviction committed within 10 years of the date of the current dangerous offense.

Keep in mind that this does not mean a prior felony conviction of a dangerous offense. This chart is broken down into First Offense, One Historical Prior, and Two Historical Priors:

tabla de sentencias de delitos graves peligrosos de arizona

The second chart is for repetitive dangerous offenses. It includes sentencing ranges for the Second Dangerous Offense and Third and Subsequent Dangerous Offenses.

Here are the Arizona felony sentencing charts for repetitive dangerous offenses:

tabla de sentencias de delitos graves peligrosos de arizona

DELITOS PELIGROSOS CONTRA NIÑOS

Arizona castiga los delitos contra los niños con mucha más severidad que otros delitos graves. Proporcionan una guía completamente separada para la sentencia de estos delitos graves. Las ofensas peligrosas contra los niños incluyen, entre otras, las siguientes:

  • Explotación sexual de un menor
    • Esto significa que el acusado a sabiendas creó, poseyó, vendió, compró, almacenó o transportó pornografía infantil.
  • Explotación sexual comercial de un menor
    • Esto incluye el acto de coaccionar a sabiendas a un menor para que participe en actos o comportamientos sexuales como prostitución o pornografía.
  • Atraer a un menor para la explotación sexual
  • Proporcionar artículos dañinos a un menor
  • Conducta sexual con un menor
  • Acoso
  • Asalto agravado contra un menor que resulta en lesiones físicas graves o involucra un arma mortal

The next chart represents the guidelines for dangerous offenses against children, including First Offense, One Historical Prior, and Two Historical Priors. You’ll notice that subsections A and B are not provided in the chart.

Subsection A carries a sentence of life in prison. Subsection B carries the possibility of a life sentence with a minimum of 13 years, presumptive 20 years, and a maximum of 27 years. These subsections might include crimes such as agresión sexual en Arizona o intento de asesinato de un menor de 12 años.

You’ll also notice that once the defendant reaches two historical prior convictions, they may only fall into subsections C and D. The presumptive sentence is life in prison, with no possibility of mitigating factors nor aggravating factors and no mandatory minimum or maximum provided.

Here is the Arizona felony sentencing chart for dangerous offenses against children:

tabla de sentencias de delitos peligrosos contra los niños de arizona

How Long is a Life Sentence in Arizona?

In Arizona, a life sentence typically means that the individual will spend the rest of their life in prison, but the specifics can vary based on the crime and sentence terms.

For most life sentences, eligibility for parole may be possible after 25 years for non-dangerous felonies, or 35 years if convicted of a dangerous offense. In cases involving severe crimes, such as first-degree murder, the court may impose “natural life,” meaning no possibility of parole and the defendant must remain incarcerated for the rest of their entire life.

If you’re facing a life sentence, you need aggressive representation to fight these dire consequences. An experienced abogado penalista en Phoenix, AZ like those at Belén Law Firm can help protect your future and freedom.

Comuníquese hoy con la abogada de defensa criminal de Phoenix, Belén

If you have been charged with a felony and seek representation, or if you simply have questions regarding the Arizona felony sentencing chart, contact Abogada Belén Olmedo Guerra hoy.

Belén offers aggressive defense for those accused of even the most serious felonies. For a professional and dedicated criminal defense attorney in Phoenix, AZ, call the Belén Law Firm at (602) 715-0908 o visite nuestro sitio web para programar su consulta gratuita.