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Gang Affiliation Enhancement to Criminal Charges Increases Sentence

By Walin & Klarich

I am being charged with a crime with gang enhancements; what does that mean? Gang affiliation is an enhancement that prosecutors can add to a criminal charge. It is important to remember that most times a criminal charge becomes far more serious when made against an alleged gang member. Penalties and jail time are greater just because the crime is considered to have been "gang-related". If gang affiliation can be proven, the crime becomes a gang crime and the potential penalties may drastically increase. (Examples of gang affiliation enhancement and their punishment; adding the gang affiliation enhancement to the crime of assault with a deadly weapon adds 10 years to the potential sentence. Adding the gang affiliation to the crime of simple assault could add up to four years to the potential sentence...continue to full post

Full post as published by Southern California Criminal Defense Blog on December 16, 2008 (boomark / email).