THEFT-MAIL <=10 ADDRESSESTexas Penal Code (PC) § 31.20(c)(1)
“THEFT-MAIL <=10 ADDRESSES” stands for Mail Theft from Fewer Than 10 Addresses, a Class A misdemeanor under Texas Penal Code (PC) § 31.20(c)(1). It is punishable by up to 1 year in county jail and a fine up to $4,000.
Below: how these cases end in Texas courts, how long they take, and the punishment.
What does “THEFT-MAIL <=10 ADDRESSES” mean?
“THEFT-MAIL <=10 ADDRESSES” stands for Mail Theft from Fewer Than 10 Addresses, a Class A misdemeanor under Texas PC § 31.20(c)(1).
Texas Penal Code § 31.20 defines mail theft. The State must prove the defendant intentionally appropriated mail from another person's mailbox or premises without the effective consent of the addressee and with intent to deprive the addressee of the mail. Mail means a letter, postal card, package, bag, or other sealed article delivered by a common carrier or the United States Postal Service, or left to be collected for such delivery. The offense is graded by the number of addressees whose mail was appropriated: this variant, § 31.20(c)(1), a Class A misdemeanor, alleges mail taken from fewer than 10 addressees, the lowest tier. Separate provisions of the statute raise the grade when the mail was taken to obtain identifying information or when an addressee was an elderly or disabled individual, and higher addressee counts move the charge into felony tiers.
What usually happens to a THEFT-MAIL <=10 ADDRESSES charge?
49% ended without a conviction, 7% in deferred adjudication and 44% in a conviction.
How 634 resolved THEFT-MAIL <=10 ADDRESSES charges filed 2019–2023 ended, across 15 counties (Bastrop, Bell, Brazoria, Collin, Comal, Dallas, Denton, FortBend, Galveston, Harris, Hays, Montgomery, Rockwall, Travis, Williamson):
| County | Resolved | Not convicted | Deferred | Convicted | Median days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris | 219 | 70% | 1% | 28% | 287 |
| Collin | 143 | 38% | 15% | 47% | 196 |
Outcome is the final disposition recorded on the charge. “Other” (1) covers waived counts, bond forfeitures, transfers and unrecorded outcomes. Bexar County records disposition dates but not outcomes, so it counts toward time-to-disposition only. Tarrant County criminal records are not in this dataset.
How long does a THEFT-MAIL <=10 ADDRESSES case take to resolve?
Typically about 9 months: half of resolved cases closed within 262 days of filing.
Across 634 resolved THEFT-MAIL <=10 ADDRESSES charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 262 days. The middle half took between 122 and 438 days.
Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.
How did real THEFT-MAIL <=10 ADDRESSES cases end?
Individual cases from the public court record, with the disposition and sentence text exactly as the clerk entered it. Every case is decided on its own facts.
Ended without a conviction
Deferred adjudication
Ended in a conviction
What is the punishment for Mail Theft from Fewer Than 10 Addresses in Texas?
Up to 1 year in county jail and a fine up to $4,000.
| Charged as | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A misdemeanor | Up to 1 year in county jail | Fine up to $4,000 | Penal Code § 12.21 |
Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.
How much is bail for THEFT-MAIL <=10 ADDRESSES in Texas?
The median bail is $3,000, and 10% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
Across 3,299 Texas bail settings for this charge (19 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $3,000 (middle half: $1,500 – $5,000). 10% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 82 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (934 records), the median was $2,500 and 16% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarrant | 507 | $1,500 | $1,000 – $2,500 | 17% | 2% |
| Travis | 425 | $5,000 | $3,500 – $7,500 | 18% | 1% |
| Bexar | 363 | $4,000 | $2,000 – $8,000 | 4% | 6% |
| Dallas | 230 | $1,500 | $1,000 – $3,500 | 2% | 3% |
| Denton | 124 | $2,500 | $1,000 – $3,500 | 2% | 0% |
Showing the 5 counties with the most records; use the selector for any county with at least 30. Per-charge bond settings on original magistrations, from Texas OCA bail reporting under SB 6. Bail is set case by case — these are statistics, not a prediction.
Charged with THEFT-MAIL <=10 ADDRESSES?
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Find a Defense AttorneyBail data: Texas Office of Court Administration magistration reports (SB 6), Apr 2022 – Jun 2025. Court outcomes: county district and county clerk records. Statistics describe past cases and are not legal advice; every case is decided on its own facts.