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Receiving Stolen Property in Georgia

How Georgia law treats receiving stolen property: what is illegal, whether it is a misdemeanor or felony, and the penalties, from the state code.

Short answer: Theft by receiving stolen property (receiving, disposing of or keeping property one knows or should know was stolen, unless the purpose is to return it to the owner) is punished on Georgia's general theft scale: a misdemeanor (up to 12 months) up to $1,500, 1 to 5 years for more than… O.C.G.A. §§ 16-8-7, 16-8-12(a)(1); § 17-10-3

Receiving stolen propertyTheft by receiving stolen property (receiving, disposing of or keeping property one knows or should know was stolen, unless the purpose is to return it to the owner) is punished on Georgia's general theft scale: a misdemeanor (up to 12 months) up to $1,500, 1 to 5 years for more than $1,500 up to $5,000, 1 to 10 years for $5,000 up to $25,000, and 2 to 20 years for more than $24,999.99. A third theft conviction is a felony (1 to 5 years) regardless of value, though the judge may impose a misdemeanor sentence. The thief does not have to be convicted first.
Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Misdemeanor default (O.C.G.A. § 17-10-3): up to 12 months and $1,000.
Source: O.C.G.A. §§ 16-8-7, 16-8-12(a)(1); § 17-10-3

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FAQ

Is receiving stolen property a felony in Georgia?
Theft by receiving stolen property (receiving, disposing of or keeping property one knows or should know was stolen, unless the purpose is to return it to the owner) is punished on Georgia's general theft scale: a misdemeanor (up to 12 months) up to $1,500, 1 to 5 years for more than $1,500 up to $5,000, 1 to 10 years for $5,000 up to $25,000, and 2 to 20 years for more than $24,999.99. A third theft conviction is a felony (1 to 5 years) regardless of value, though the judge may impose a misdemeanor sentence. The thief does not have to be convicted first.
Can I get a court-appointed lawyer for receiving stolen property in Georgia?
Georgia's rule on court-appointed lawyers: Applicants must complete and sign an application and verification and are interviewed at the detention center or the public defender's office. Income standards under O.C.G.A. § 17-12-2, as stated by the public defender office: for misdemeanors, probation violations and county or municipal offenses, a person who 'earns less than 100 percent of the federal poverty guidelines'; for juveniles, those 'whose parents earn less than 125 percent of the federal poverty guidelines'; for felonies, 'less than 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines' — each with an exception for people with other resources that could reasonably pay for a lawyer, and no one with income above 150 percent of the federal poverty level is considered indigent. Application fee: Georgia law requires every person who applies for public defense services 'to pay the Public Defender Office a single fee of $50'; 'The court shall waive this fee if it finds that you are unable to pay the fee or that hardship will result if the fee is charged.' Attorney fees for court-appointed representation may also be imposed by the court at sentencing. O.C.G.A. §§ 15-21A-6(b), 17-12-2 (as quoted by the Chatham County Public Defender Office, Eastern Judicial Circuit)
How much does a lawyer for receiving stolen property cost in Georgia?
Lawyers set their own fees, and Georgia has rules on how they may charge. See hiring a criminal defense lawyer in Georgia for fee rules, how to check a lawyer's license and free help.
Can a conviction for receiving stolen property be removed from my record in Georgia?
Each state sets its own rules for sealing or expunging records. See Georgia expungement and record sealing rules.

General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.