Most people know a felony drug charge is far more severe than a misdemeanor. However, there are many types of felonies in Missouri. Each has specific sentencing recommendations the judge may choose to follow. Furthermore, if a crime is violent, it can become even more complicated.
Today, we’ll explore Missouri’s felony classes, ranging from class A through E. Class A are the most serious charges.
Class A felonies
The recommended sentencing for a class A felony is no less than ten years imprisonment. Examples of class A felonies include:
- Murder in the first and second degree
- Murder in the second degree while driving intoxicated
- Domestic assault in the first degree
Many child kidnapping and serious abandonment charges — those that lead to a child’s death — are considered class A felonies.
Class B felonies
Imprisonment for class B felonies ranges between five and fifteen years. Examples include:
- Distributing a controlled substance to a minor
- Delivery of a weapon to a jail inmate
Class C felonies
If you’re convicted of a class C felony in Missouri, the recommended sentence is three to ten years imprisonment. Common class C felonies are:
- Involuntary manslaughter in the first degree
- Trafficking drugs second degree
- Stealing $25,000 or more
- Financially exploiting the elderly
Here in Missouri, creating controlled substances falls into this class.
Class D felonies
Judges might sentence you up to seven years in prison for a class D felony conviction. Examples include:
- Election offenses, like willfully providing false documentation to register to vote
- Abuse of a healthcare recipient
- Damage to a corrections facility by an inmate
- Removal of a VIN from a vehicle
- Off-track betting
And finally, we reach the lowest level of felony charges in MO: class E.
Class E felonies
The recommended sentencing for these charges is four years imprisonment or less. They include:
- Motor vehicle tax evasion
- Falsifying Do Not Resuscitate orders (DNR) at a hospital
- Abandonment of a corpse
Class E felonies include a long list of other charges, both violent crimes and “white collar.”
It’s vital to know that felony charges are taken seriously by everyone, not just the judge. Convicted felons can have a hard time finding jobs and housing, and many violent crimes cannot be expunged from your record.
