Theft of cargo valued at $1,500 but less than $10,000 is charged as which degree?

• A. Cargo Theft - 3rd Degree Felony
• B. Cargo Theft - State Jail Felony
• C. Cargo Theft - 2nd Degree Felony
• D. Cargo Theft - 1st Degree Felony

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that theft penalties rise with the value of what’s taken, and cargo theft has its own value-based scale. When the cargo is valued between $1,500 and under $10,000, the offense falls into a state jail felony. This places it above misdemeanor levels but below the higher felony degrees, reflecting a mid-range severity. State jail sentences typically run from 180 days to 2 years, with fines up to about $10,000. If the value were higher, it could move to a 2nd or 1st degree felony; if lower, it could be a misdemeanor. So this value range is assigned to a state jail felony.