How Long Does It Take for an Arrest Warrant to Be Issued

[Wampo]

My question involves criminal law for the state of: New York

How long does it take to get an arrest warrant issued? After it's issued how long does it take for them to come get the person who did a crime when they have all the information? How do you know if you have an arrest warrant?

[cdwjava]

You might never know that you have an arrest warrant until they come and get you ... IF they come and get you.

Many lesser offenses are not going to result in an arrest warrant where the police will come hunt you down. For the most part, you will be arrested when they contact you for some other purpose.

The length of time it takes to get a warrant can vary a great deal depending on the jurisdiction, the severity of the offense and the priority given to the matter by the DA, etc. An arrest warrant might take as little as one or two business days (very rare) or as long as a few months. I have found out here that a typical arrest warrant in my small-ish county can be issued within a week of the DA's request. When I worked in San Diego County, the process was closer to three or four weeks after the request - depending on the priority and severity of the offense.

You can always call and ask if a warrant has been issued ... they might not tell you,but you can ask.

And I have found through interactions with NYPD and other NY officers, that warrants are not always issued when there is some hope of contacting the suspect. I could explain the reasons I was told, but suffice it to say that a warrant may be a long time coming.

[Wampo]

You might never know that you have an arrest warrant until they come and get you ... IF they come and get you.

Many lesser offenses are not going to result in an arrest warrant where the police will come hunt you down. For the most part, you will be arrested when they contact you for some other purpose.

The length of time it takes to get a warrant can vary a great deal depending on the jurisdiction, the severity of the offense and the priority given to the matter by the DA, etc. An arrest warrant might take as little as one or two business days (very rare) or as long as a few months. I have found out here that a typical arrest warrant in my small-ish county can be issued within a week of the DA's request. When I worked in San Diego County, the process was closer to three or four weeks after the request - depending on the priority and severity of the offense.

You can always call and ask if a warrant has been issued ... they might not tell you,but you can ask.

And I have found through interactions with NYPD and other NY officers, that warrants are not always issued when there is some hope of contacting the suspect. I could explain the reasons I was told, but suffice it to say that a warrant may be a long time coming.

I feel as if I did something bad and the police are coming to get me. I don't know if I have an arrest warrant but the guy said that his lawyer is trying to get an arrest warrant for me as of now. This is related to a cyber crime of me going into someone's Fscebook. He knows where I live and everything. How long in your opinion this will get sorted out for my arrest?

[cdwjava]

I feel as if I did something bad and the police are coming to get me. I don't know if I have an arrest warrant but the guy said that his lawyer is trying to get an arrest warrant for me as of now. This is related to a cyber crime of me going into someone's Fscebook. He knows where I live and everything. How long in your opinion this will get sorted out for my arrest?

His lawyer cannot get an arrest warrant. The DA can ask for an arrest warrant, and the police can try and encourage one, but a private attorney really has no say in the matter.

Your acquaintance is probably trying to scare you ... and apparently it's working.

Avoid any and all communications with or about this person so as to hopefully allow the matter to fade away.

If a crime has been alleged, the state could have years to initiate criminal charges. I suspect that unless you have moved recently, if the police are investigating you they will be coming to talk sometime in the next 3 to 6 months at the outside. But, I wouldn't stress about it. And, as I mentioned, stop communication with or about this person on whatever forum or through whatever means you had been.

From a practical standpoint, while illegal, I don't know of many police departments or prosecutors who are going to expend scarce resources to investigate the unauthorized access two a Facebook account!! Really.

[Wampo]

His lawyer cannot get an arrest warrant. The DA can ask for an arrest warrant, and the police can try and encourage one, but a private attorney really has no say in the matter.

Your acquaintance is probably trying to scare you ... and apparently it's working.

Avoid any and all communications with or about this person so as to hopefully allow the matter to fade away.

If a crime has been alleged, the state could have years to initiate criminal charges. I suspect that unless you have moved recently, if the police are investigating you they will be coming to talk sometime in the next 3 to 6 months at the outside. But, I wouldn't stress about it. And, as I mentioned, stop communication with or about this person on whatever forum or through whatever means you had been.

From a practical standpoint, while illegal, I don't know of many police departments or prosecutors who are going to expend scarce resources to investigate the unauthorized access two a Facebook account!! Really.

Thanks for making me feel better! and my mistake, he said the police is getting the arrest warrant for me. He was very serious about it though. He wrote so like 50 sentences about what he will do to me. He said they are investigating me by IP address... And I have a Facebook account myself. He sounded very serious. I also read articles of people getting arrested for logging into someone's Facebook account too that's what scared me too. I also have evidence of him trying to sell me drugs through text message will that help me? He said it's freedom of speech and not evidence, no substances.

[cdwjava]

Thanks for making me feel better! and my mistake, he said the police is getting the arrest warrant for me. He was very serious about it though. He wrote so like 50 sentences about what he will do to me. He said they are investigating me by IP address... And I have a Facebook account myself. He sounded very serious. I also read articles of people getting arrested for logging into someone's Facebook account too that's what scared me too. I also have evidence of him trying to sell me drugs through text message will that help me? He said it's freedom of speech and not evidence, no substances.

I doubt the police are briefing him on the details of any investigation ... and I doubt the police are going to expend much time - if any at all - on investigating unlawful access to Facebook.

Any articles you have read have likely involved greater details than were reported, or were pursued to make a point after some high profile event like a child killing themselves after cyberbullying or some such thing.

Unless your local police, prosecutor, and courts have a lot of free time and resources, this is not likely to be an issue for them.

Relax. If they come calling, just lawyer up. I doubt you will ever hear from them.

Oh, and do not communicate with this person!!! If they text, call, email, or try to chat with you, do not accept or do not reply!

[Wampo]

I doubt the police are briefing him on the details of any investigation ... and I doubt the police are going to expend much time - if any at all - on investigating unlawful access to Facebook.

Any articles you have read have likely involved greater details than were reported, or were pursued to make a point after some high profile event like a child killing themselves after cyberbullying or some such thing.

Unless your local police, prosecutor, and courts have a lot of free time and resources, this is not likely to be an issue for them.

Relax. If they come calling, just lawyer up. I doubt you will ever hear from them.

Oh, and do not communicate with this person!!! If they text, call, email, or try to chat with you, do not accept or do not reply!

Thank you for the information ! Last time we spoke was yesterday through text message. I'm never going to speak to him. And if I do get arrested, what are the charges do you think I will get?

[cdwjava]

Thank you for the information ! Last time we spoke was yesterday through text message. I'm never going to speak to him. And if I do get arrested, what are the charges do you think I will get?

I am not familiar with your state's laws, and what the charges might be will depend on how you accessed his Facebook account and what you did when you were in it. Hacking a password, sitting at his chair when he was logged in and away, using a keylogger, etc., can all have difference potential offenses. There's no way to say what charges might be without knowing all the details. And, at this point, it's a moot question.