I was recently arrested for using a fake ID to buy alcohol in DC, should I pay for an attorney

IPA time wrote:

rojo wrote:

Can I play devil's advocate here? How is a charge for buying beer at age 19 going to haunt a guy or girl for the rest of their life?

I

If the actual charge reads something about using a forged instrument and I'm reviewing the person for potential employment in the securities industry my first thought is, next.

You must be fun at parties...

This will actually always be on your record if a future employer runs the correct background check. When expunged it will come off your criminal record, but will be forever on record if they look up through license.

Get a lawyer. A good lawyer. Spend as much money as it takes. You've already made one huge mistake; thinking you can go in there on your own is an even bigger one. Think of it as a wise investment - the relatively small amount of money you spend today on the lawyer will save you a lot more in the future. A criminal record, any criminal record, will haunt you and your employment opportunities. Don't be stupid twice. Get a lawyer, deal with this, move on.

Check your record wrote:

This will actually always be on your record if a future employer runs the correct background check. When expunged it will come off your criminal record, but will be forever on record if they look up through license.

Can you explain this in more detail? I had a similar low level charge expunged and it does not show up on an FBI check.

just the fax wrote:

Check your record wrote:

This will actually always be on your record if a future employer runs the correct background check. When expunged it will come off your criminal record, but will be forever on record if they look up through license.

Can you explain this in more detail? I had a similar low level charge expunged and it does not show up on an FBI check.

Kind of like your credit record. Something may not be included in your score after a period of years, but the actual default or other blemish still shows on your history

rojo wrote:

Society is obsessed with underage drinking but seems to do (well i'm not sure what they could do) or say nothing about teenage births.

I

Quite a few American legislators do and say lots about teenage births by closing abortion clinics and defunding planned parenthood. Also, if a student at Cornell used the word "society" without defining it more precisely, I would be inclined to give her a C.

ha wrote:

IPA time wrote:

If the actual charge reads something about using a forged instrument and I'm reviewing the person for potential employment in the securities industry my first thought is, next.

You must be fun at parties...

And you have never dealt with compliance departments in the securities industry.

Contact the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, at 633 Indiana Avenue, NW; Washington, DC 20004

Toll Free:(800) 341-2582

Phone:(202) 628-1200

TTY:(202) 824-2531

Fax:(202) 824-2423

Tell them that you can not afford an attorney (if that is true), and ask if one can be appointed for you for free. Assuming you are assigned an attorney, discuss possible defenses and compromises. Don't plead guilty unless you have a deal with the DA.

There will not be a DA. In DC, the United States Attorney's Office prosecutors all crimes. The prosecutor will be an Assistant United States Attorney.

1) Hire the best attorney you can. You need to beat this so it will not go on your records. Any large company or serious job will not hire you with a conviction on your record.

2) Hopefully you will learn from this. Quit doing stupid things that will screw up your future. You can have fun without ruining your dreams.

DC is under federal control > liquor stores are federal facilities > you conspired to obtain a forged instrument > used it to misrepresent yourself at and gain entrance to a federal facility> ACT OF TERRIOR!!

This is not getting caught under the bleachers with a can of Bud. Big time crime.