Did shoplifting charge (Massachusetts) go away?

My college student was arrested last November on a first-time shoplifting charge in Springfield, MA. I believe the charge was a felony. My kid was sent home in mid-December on a medical leave for clinical depression and, as a result, missed the court-mandated classes for first-tme offenders (in lieu of prosecution). He left a couple of voicemails for the classroom program, explaining that he is now out-of-state. He also left a couple of voicemails for the store manager (where he shoplifted), asking for a callback so that he could make amends. No call-back from either place.

My kid believes that the charges will be dropped and that he is simply stirring up a hornet's nest by continuing to call. I've suggesteed that he write a letter, offering to make amends -- again, he thinks this is just asking for trouble. I think he needs to do something and this will not disappear, especially since he hopes to return to college in MA next year.

Advice? (Thank you for responding)

There's probably an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

Thank you for your response. I was expecting that he would receive some notice in the mail about his case being turned over to the courts and/or a warrant would be issued. But there was nothing in the mail. Is there a way to find out if there is an outstanding warrant? Is it something that would be posted somewhere online or do I call the MA police department or ????

I found a site for the local police department that lists warrants from Feb thrugh April and did not find his name. Does that mean that they probably will forget about my son because he is out of state? Or, should he be trying to contact the store and work things out?

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Quoting Boxmaker1917

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Does that mean that they probably will forget about my son because he is out of state?

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No.

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Quoting Boxmaker1917

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Or, should he be trying to contact the store and work things out?

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You indicated that the courts are involved. Consider contacting a criminal defense lawyer in the location where the charges were filed, and seeing about (a) confirming the present status of the case and (b) if it remains pending trying to negotiate a resolution with the prosecutor.

Mr Knowitall, thank you for responding. I am making an assumption that since my son missed his "first-time offender" classes, the matter would eventually be turned over to the courts and a warrant for his arrest eventually would follow. However, I don't actually know whether the courts have been involved.

Would we initially get a notice that the matter is about to be -- or already has been -- turned over to the courts? Other than forwarded mail (from his college) that he missed his class, we haven't heard anything.

His first class was scheduled for Feb 23. A notice was sent to my son's college address and was forwarded to us. My son left a call at the number listed for the classes in early March.

He received a voicemail message from someone from the classroom program saying that the manager of the store where my son shoplifted was out of town. Someone from the program would contact the store manager in mid-March and let my son know what would happen next. My son left only two voicemails after that (no one answers the phone for this classroom program) but never heard back from anyone at the classroom program.

In the last two weeks, my son called the store. He was not able to reach the store manager and left two messages, giving his name & number and a message that his call had to do with a previous shoplifting issue. He has not heard back from the store.

My son maintains that since he now is out-of-state, the store probably decided to drop the matter. He thinks that if the store was going to pursue matters, something would have "popped" by now.

My son believes in letting sleeping dogs lie. I'm not sure whether he is right and should drop the matter; or whether he is better off, trying to get in touch with the store manager and offer to make amends so that an arrest warrant is NOT issued.

You can either assume that a warrant exists, assume that the charges have magically been dropped (for not appearing for a diversion program - something courts punish, as opposed to rewarding), or find out for sure. I would find out for sure if it were me.