Ok so to make a long story short, I was charged with a 5th degree felony theft for approx. 800 dollars from a store I used to work for. The Loss prevention guy talked to me and pretty much lied to me to make me confess what I did. I wrote down what happened so now the court has for sure proof that I did it. I won't deny what I did because I know it was wrong. And I wish I could make a restitution to just pay it back but I don't even think that is an option right now because today I was asked to turn myself in.. I did so this morning and they processed me and just had me wait in the holding cell until me and a few other guys were brought to court to find out our bail.
I definitely was not prepared for this because I did not even have an attorney when the judge called me name so I thought I would have been completely screwed. Luckily, the judge let me go with a personal bail of 2500 which to my understanding I didnt really even have to pay anything to stay out of jail.. I have my preliminary hearing coming up on the 26th and currently I am looking for an attorney to represent me in court that day.
I was talking to one of my old co-workers who got charged for the same exact thing for the same exact amount and he told me that his attorney said that we probably wont be facing any jail time and that a diversion program would most likely go into effect since our records are clean and that I shouldn't worry about it. I'll be honest, I don't want to do jail time and I want to do whatever it is to change this.
The LP guy also informed me that a diversion program would most likely be given to me when I go through the court system when he was making me confess what I did.
Well now that I am looking for an attorney, to represent me.. Will this preliminary hearing be the court date that I find out if I can get into the diversion program? Or will there be another court date after this? I really just want to get this over with and just do what I have to do to get this resolved.

