It depends upon the value of the property.
It dpends on the law of your state, which you haven't supplied in the question.
The penalty for receiving stolen property is imprisonment for not more than 10 years or a fine of not more than $15,000.00 or 3 times the value of the property purchased, received, possessed, or concealed, whichever is greater, or both an imprisonment and a fine if the property purchased, received, possessed, or concealed has a value of $20,000.00 or more.
Criminal penalties are determined by state law, so there may be 50 ways to answer your question. The penalty may also vary depending on whether the recipient knew or should have known the property was stolen.
Possession means that you have the property, chances are you knew it was stolen. Receiving Stolen Property means that you got it and you knew it was stolen. Typically this would be the person that bought it from a thief.
receiving stolen property
"Rationales?" How about GREED.
An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth.
Not enough information to answer the question. MY GUESS would be that law enforcement can PROVE that you DID once have the stolen property in your possession.
Receiving stolen property is considered a crime because it encourages theft by providing a market for stolen goods. It also undermines the integrity of the legal system by allowing individuals to profit from illegal activities.
You were found to be in possession of stolen property. It's also known in other jurisictions as "Receiving Stolen Property."
If you took that money and now know it was stolen, yes you can be prosecuted under the law. Now you have become an accessory to the fact (receiving stolen property).
The goods must be received for a dishonest purpose. Therefore, a person who receives stolen property for the purpose of returning it to its owner or to proper authorities is not guilty of receiving stolen property.