Best Buy shoplifting charge

you could say my H1 will expired, while I got a job in my home country. But I DO need to come back to US. Also, this criminal record will possibly cause me to lose my job, and total future. I could NOT afford all of these prices by having a crimnial record. If that, the price is too high, I will have no future, I would like to die. At this point, US citizens are very lucky. It is not like some people here, my work is based on reputation.

I was scared at the time when I was caught. Policemen involved. My english is also not so good. They were discussing for a while outside. I do remember one policeman came in and said " you are lucky, ... to go, because. first time, ID etc. ". I couldn't fully understand and didn't hear clearly for other parts. I was collaborative all the time, answered every single question very in detail.

I don't know why policeman said I am lucky, I think his meaning was they will not detain me in jail for a short time for bait something like that. Because the stolen things worth $290, I think they will not just let me free of this.

I am a research scientist, doing good sciences, published some good research papers, behaving very well all th time for 6 years (I told my boss what happened, he knows me, seems he could help me at this matter.). These days, I went to church and prepare to go to hospital to do volunteer work regularly. I want to do everything that I can do to get a good impression in prosecutor's eye. Then, how do you think the chance that I could get STET, but not criminal record?

Thank you very much.

Again, if you are worried and you said you have retained a lawyer already, ask him to call Bestbuy to find out. If Bestbuy said they had filed the complaint already with the police, then you could check with the police or the court to get a feel of when your arraignment would be.

I would suggest that you don't leave the country until you know the situation of your case.

As far as the INS, even if you are convicted, if you qualify for the "petty theft exception", you are still admissisble to the U.S., meaning once you leave the US and re-enter in the future with a valid visa, the INS can't use your conviction to deny your admission.

Good Luck.

Still no news. My lawyer wants to cancel the case. Close to 4 month now. How do you think?