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  1. #1

    Default Charged with Felony Shopliftling and Identity Theft

    My question involves criminal law for the state of: Virginia

    hi, i know this is kind of long, but this greatly influences my future and i would really appreciate it if you would read it and give me some feedback.

    im 18 and a honors college student in virginia. About a month ago, i went into the department store Dillard's in the mall. To make a long story short, i went into the dressing room and came out with about 200 dollars worth of mechandise. No one suspected me untill a sales woman went into the dressing room and found some hangers. So she called loss prevention and a security guard told me the managers wanted to speak with me. Obviously i knew i was caught so i was compliant and went with her. Then then detained me and a manager came and asked me if i had any of their merchandise. I said yes and handed them my purse in which i had the clothes. He asked if i took the tags off and i said yes. He calculated the price of the items and it came up to 215 dollars. In virginia, anything over 200 dollars is a felony.

    So basically, at this point, i am devastated and scared out of my mind because this was my first time being in any trouble. so when he asked me my age, i said 17, in an attempt to maybe get out of actually going to jail, not knowing if i had not done this i wouldn't have gone. So the manager called the police and after answering all his questions, he asked my birthdate and i gave him one that would make me seventeen. But then he called my mother because i could not remember my soc. security number, and she ended up giving him my real age. So he flips out and says that he's taking me to the pen.

    so im in the back of his squad car and i basically explained everything to him and apologized. He said i didn't belong there and i was a good kid, and he gave me his word that in court, he would tell them i was remorseful and that i told him everything. Yet i still went to a holding cell for about 15 hours untill the money my mom wired over from pa came through to post my bail of 200 dollars.

    So now here i am, with a court date coming up on monday and i have no idea what to expect. i am being charged with grand larceny and identity theft. i have a public defender who said she would try to get the identity theft dismissed and the felony brought down to a misdemeanor, but she has yet to return my phone calls and the court date is only days away. im wondering if there can be any other solution such as a diversion program i can take considering its my first offense, i am 18, and a college student on the dean's list. i mean i know im guilty, but does the judge really want to send someone to jail, or ruin the life of a person who has a very bright future over one mistake? Since im not getting answers from my public defender, i need some help from you on what i should do about this. And if there's anyway i can avoid jail time or having a felony conviction on my record.

    anything helps, again thanks for reading

  2. #2

    Default Re: Charged with Felony Shopliftling and Identity Theft.

    Virginia is very tough on retail thieves (shoplifters). Even first time offenders stand a very good chance of jail time.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Charged with Felony Shopliftling and Identity Theft

    ugh.. i understand that, but you don't think theres even a chance?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    9,096

    Default Re: Charged with Felony Shopliftling and Identity Theft

    Courts are made up of people.

    Therefore, anything is possible.

    However, you need to quickly change your attitude. The judge wouldn't be ruining your life if you received an appropriate sentence for a conviction.

    The person that ruined your life was the same one that stole $200. However, in most cases, you should be able to ask for a deferment.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Charged with Felony Shopliftling and Identity Theft

    i doubt no one suspected you Loss Prevention at Dillard's has been following since you selected the clothes and went in, they used the sales associate to check the room just to let you know Dillard's is not allowed to arrest anyone based on an associates words and no loss prevention agent will ever detain anyone based on words they have to actually see you them selves pick the clothes up and go into that fitting room just an fyi.....and as for the whole thing there is a chance that things might go well as in a charge drop for the identity they'll probably make a deal where they'll drop it if you plead guilty etc. i can't say for sure I hope the best of luck goes on with the dropping it to a misdemeanor you are very lucky if Virginia allows it, Here in my state there is no luck if it's a felony it stays a felony for shoplifting.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    UTAH
    Posts
    178

    Default Re: Charged with Felony Shopliftling and Identity Theft

    First you need to drop the whole"I am a honor student and on the deans list" crap. No one cares and it has NOTHING to do with you shoplifting. Most judges will think you are trying(which you are) to wiggle out of trouble by saying what a great person you are. They do not like that and as already said you ruined your life not anyone else if it comes down to that. You need to get a lawyer and work this down as far as you can. That is the best bet you have.

  7. #7

    Default Re: Charged with Felony Shopliftling and Identity Theft

    ok look you say i am the one who ruined my life.. fine. But everyone has had bad judgement and this just happened to be my time to have it. so i made a mistake... i bet if we were all punished with jail time for making a mistake when we were young, we would all be there. im just asking for compassion. Im really not a bad kid, and i need the judge to see that. If not, then what chance do i have? he needs to see that i have potential and that this is one bad move that will never happen again. I understand you are being honest, but you guys dont seem to give me any sense of hope. I guess i'll just have to pray and hope all goes well tomorrow. Thanks anyways

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