Kidnapping charges in Texas can arise from situations that don’t look anything like the crime you’re picturing — a custody dispute, a domestic argument that turned physical, or a confrontation that involved briefly blocking someone from leaving can all trigger this charge. A Houston kidnapping lawyer can help you understand what actually separates it from a lesser offense.
What the State Has to Prove
- Abduction: Restraining a person with intent to prevent their liberation, either by secreting them or by using or threatening deadly force.
- Aggravated kidnapping: Abduction done for ransom, as a hostage, to facilitate a felony, to inflict injury, to violate or abuse someone sexually, or to interfere with a public duty.
How Texas Punishes It
- Third-degree felony: 2 to 10 years in prison for standard kidnapping.
- First-degree felony: 5 to 99 years or life for aggravated kidnapping.
Where These Cases Are Fought
Whether the restraint actually meets the legal definition of “abduction” — as opposed to a brief, non-secretive restriction of movement during an argument — is frequently the central question. Consent, family relationships, and the specific intent behind the restraint all matter enormously here.
Charged With Kidnapping? Contact Blass Law Now
Contact Blass Law for a confidential case evaluation or call (713)-664-4000 immediately — these charges carry some of the most severe penalties in the Penal Code.