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Willful Concealment Charges

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  • 10-01-2014, 04:43 PM
    OutHere05
    Willful Concealment Charges
    My question involves criminal law for the state of: New Hampshire

    I was in a store and decided to bring a 40$ Product into the bathroom (I hid the case under my sweatshirt) so once I was in the bathroom I decided this was a bad idea and hid the case in the bathroom. when I left the stall employees from LP were already outside and went immediately in the stall and searched for the case and found it. They took me and decided to put me in an office for LP and call the police. I talked to the police and had to signed a summons paper for a court date. The paper said charges of willful Concealment. Any tips on what I should plea and what I should do?
  • 10-01-2014, 04:52 PM
    Security Consultant
    Re: Willful Concealment Charge
    You need to be a little clearer. You hid the case - where was the merchandise in the case?

    Here's New Hampshire's concealment statute:

    637:3-a Willful Concealment. –

    I. A person is guilty of willful concealment if, without authority, he or she willfully conceals the goods or merchandise of any store while still upon the premises of such store. Goods or merchandise found concealed upon the person shall be prima facie evidence of willful concealment. Notwithstanding RSA 637:11, willful concealment shall be a misdemeanor.

  • 10-01-2014, 05:43 PM
    flyingron
    Re: Willful Concealment Charge
    And what you should do is get an attorney. You're being charged with a crime. While it's unlikely, jail is a possibility.

    Always plead not guilty unless you have legal counsel as to what the consequences of doing otherwise are.
  • 10-01-2014, 07:38 PM
    OutHere05
    Re: Willful Concealment Charge
    Well when I took the merchandise off of the shelf I then put it under my sweatshirt, at that point I went into the bathroom and into the stall. In the stall when I was going to take the item out of the packaging I decided not to and that it was a bad idea so I ended up hiding the product in the stall where a LP associate found shortly after.

    Also is there any chance I'll be offered a plea bargain to not have this on my record? It's a clean record with no previous offences
  • 10-02-2014, 10:21 AM
    DeputyDog
    Re: Willful Concealment Charge
    Sounds like this is pretty cut and dry. You're guilty of the offense.

    As for diversion, ask the prosecutor or get an attorney and ask him/her.
  • 10-05-2014, 09:32 PM
    questionforu
    Re: Willful Concealment Charge
    Did you admit to anything?

    You could've easily made up a plausible excuse for concealing it. You didn't steal the merchandise yet.
  • 10-06-2014, 06:17 AM
    free9man
    Re: Willful Concealment Charge
    Quote:

    Quoting questionforu
    View Post
    You could've easily made up a plausible excuse for concealing it. You didn't steal the merchandise yet.

    Doesn't matter. OP is not being charges specifically with stealing. They are being charged with willful concealment. Plus lying is never a good idea because virtually every possible excuse has been tried before and no one is going to buy it.
  • 10-21-2014, 09:52 PM
    OutHere05
    Re: Willful Concealment Charge
    Hello everyone, I have gone to court since posting this and would like to thank everyone who contributed, not much was discussed but I can tell you this I was made offer and after I follow through there will be no record. Once again thank you to everyone who helped contribute
  • 10-22-2014, 01:28 AM
    LindsayAn
    Re: Willful Concealment Charge
    I have a quick question since you've already went through the process... What did you plead in court? I asked my own question earlier but didn't get a response yet.
  • 10-22-2014, 11:29 AM
    OutHere05
    Re: Willful Concealment Charge
    I went into court with the assumption I should plead guilty until someone else first asked to speak to the prosecutor, so I also asked to speak to the prosecutor before pleading anything. I recommend you do the same it doesn't hurt! As soon as I did the prosecutor had a paper with my punishment already made up!
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