Shoplifting at Wal-Mart in California

Ok so im 18 years old and me and my 20 year old friend went into wal mart to purchase some items.. i realized that the items that we wanted were really expensive for what they were (about $10 each). So not thinking at the time i decided that i would buy 4 and i would shoplift the 5th.. because for some reason $40 didn't sound as bad as $50 so i opened the package and i bought the other four at a register. Come to find out that an LP officer had seen me take it. So she and her partner stopped both me and my friend at the door as we were leaving and she had the package in her hand.. they then proceeded to take us to the office in the back. They told us to empty our pockets. we did and i gave them the stolen merchandise. They then went on to go through the paperwork and get the information from my drivers license but my friend left his at home (he didn't feel he would need it) so after i was cited and cleared they had to call the police to get a positive id on my friend. so the cops came to check my friend in their database using his drivers license number. Surprisingly to us we ended up cooperating and being completely honest to the LP officers and we actually befriended them to the point that they wrote in the record how cooperative and apologetic that we were. They then told us that if i was going to buy the stolen product it would look better. so i did. i need to know what im looking at to come. and if i should try and fight for the fact that i and my friend have no prior and that we would never steal again and maybe we could just pay a fine and somehow not have it go on our records.? Any information would be greatly appreciated

Were you charged or not? Were you told that you would receive notice of a criminal prosecution or not?

well i got a form and they took our fingerprints. the paper said that records would be sent to the sheriffs and that i should be expecting something in the mail about a court date.

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Quoting Mr. Knowitall

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Were you charged or not? Were you told that you would receive notice of a criminal prosecution or not?

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so i got the ticket in the mail from the sacramento county sheriffs department and it tells of the petty theft crime and it says that im to be at the courthouse at 8 30 and stuff.. i have a couple questions.. on the back of the ticket it says that i have to get my fingerprint and picture done. well both me and my friend got our fingerprints taken at wal mart. and they made a copy of my driver's license, but my friend says that he has yet to get a ticket in the mail. also he didnt have his id on him so does that mean that he's got to go get his done?
and why dont you think his ticket has come in the mail?
also is there any advice you could give us about the actual court process? i have no idea what to expect, i'm willing to pay a fine as long as it doesnt go on my record. i'll do anything to not have it go on my record. and also ive read alot about this thing where people who shoplift at wal mart pay the fine and then they recieve a letter after everything from wal mart asking for another payment if that happens, what should i do? and would it be smart to bring it up to the judge?
thank you