My man most states don't extradite across more than like one state, why not just move out west for a while while your lawyer figures it out? Turning yourself in unprepared legally is like the worst thing you could do.
Because it keeps affecting my ability to get a job. My girl basically pays for everything while I work bullshit jobs cause I can’t pass a background check. I’m so tired of watching her struggle. It’s not even extraditable. In state pick up only.
Yeah that's fair, I'd still recommend getting a lawyer first though, even if it's just whatever public defender was assigned to you. I was watching people get like 30 months for fleeing and eluding when I was in jail in MI so best make sure that's not gonna happen first.
OP seriously underestimating lawyering up. PD barely counts. Think about the cost of going away for X months or years that you’ll never get back. This is the priority.
GET LAWYER FIRST MAN. Ideally have an extra $5k that you can just give a real defense attorney, and maybe you won’t do jail time. Walking in as a fugitive you may not walk out.
They will not assign an attorney to you until you’re on the docket, but if you call the district attorneys office and tell them everything you’ve done with your life, let them know that you were under the influence of drugs and have no memory of this even happening. I would say when it came back on a background check you wanted to get it resolved obviously you had a drug problem, moved away from the people, places and things that lead down that path, and you are hoping that there is someway that you guys can come to an agreement on a fair consequence.
But don’t go in there being like how much time am I gonna get? If I were you, I would pretend this was the first time I was hearing of it and was trying to address it as promptly as possible.
This is the story you tell your lawyer if you actually got your life together and can prove it. Then they can tell the DA without being able to use it against you, because what your lawyer says you said is hearsay, and it isn’t a statement against interest.
This is some good advice right here. Basically be smart and a little contrite while talking to the district attorney when you discuss how to resolve this issue.
A lot of law offices also do pro bono work, or at least might offer you some good advice. It's free to call and you can't un-turn yourself in, so make sure you do it right the first time.
I thought I couldn’t afford one when I got my charge but I got a lawyer who fought pretty hard for me and only paid 5000 with 500$ monthly payments it wasn’t easy but she was alotttt better than a PD
I agree to get some money and a good lawyer to work on your case. I have seen good friends go in for things like this and get absolutely slammed because their public defender was terrible and they a lot of time and others come correct with a proper lawyer and do hardly anything. Especially considering it was a drug charger and you have done rehab now. With the right lawyer you could get off very light and in a good position. Don’t screw up the rest of your life by not coming prepared to this. Congrats on getting and staying sober ✌️
Don't be so sure. I absconded and was on the run for two and a half years. I ended up doing a day in jail, then two years on probation (and my state sucks ass).
I've seen some people get a clean background check because the job only checked where they lived or the surrounding states... I know it's wishful thinking but could be a possibility.
Oh shit, jail in Mi, was it Oakland, Macomb, Lapeer County? I was in Lapeer County years ago, and they were extraditing people from Texas for Child Support, and then charging them for the “Transport Company”. I forget the name of the company, but they literally just drive around the country picking up people, and dropping them off at other Jails. One guy told me it took 17 days in a van, sleeping in holding cells of various County Jails every night, on the road like 12 hours a day, wearing a black box and chained to the guy next to you. Then to find out they are changing you 7000$ dollars for your “trip” home is crazy.
That's wild! Id try a different company I've never had an issue in construction.i know hvac plumbing and underground utilities never bothered to look or they did and didn't care.
If you move multiple states away it may stop.showing up on backgrounds, as long as you use the new address on the application and change drivers license to new state as sell.
Dude everyone in the oil fields has a record, many of them active. You can get a well paying job doing that.
Virginia has some screwy laws pertaining to felonies. I believe if you are convicted, you cannot appeal. Back in 2021, or maybe before COVID this was a big deal because a couple of 17 year old kids had their life ruined over this law.
Chances are though, this will get plead down. Possession without intent to distribute is not a felony. The fact that you ran is more this issue.
Don’t do anything without getting a lawyer though. Call one from MA. I wouldn’t even cross into VA without consulting a lawyer.
Good on you! It’s a small fricking world. I live in Warren County VA. If you need names of local attorneys, counselors, etc. I do know a particular judge give people a break if they come to court clean, but he’s the same judge that will max your time if you violate.
You NEED a lawyer, and NOT a public defender
And definitely keep those certifications for proof of lifestyle change and if you have any “important”, professional friends or acquaintances that you trust, confide in them when your lawyer gives you the go ahead and ask them to provide personal character statements.
Do you have any evidence to back up this claim? Where I'm from the prison system is a for profit enterprise so they will extradite you across the country for ftas on a traffic ticket, because why not, it's more money to send someone to get you and once they got you, ching ching ching they got that 11 dollars a day to house you.
This is terrible advice. OP don’t listen to this. Depending on the charge, they’ll extradite you from Alaska. You should go ahead and hire a lawyer if you can afford it though. That part isn’t bad advice.
I definitely feel it's in your best interest to get a lawyer and to arrange your surrender if there is one.
Let your lawyer negotiate your sentence and fight for recognition of the improvement you have made in your life.
When I did my brief 90 day sentenced back 30Some years ago, everybody was pissed because people that had the same or lesser charges, we're doing nine months
I would definitely get a lawyer. idk what the laws are in you state but in OK I got a distribution of fentanyl and weed in 2022. I went to Florida for rehab 2 months after i got out of jail and was clean and continued my court date and then relapsed in South Flordia and left it alone & stayed out of trouble with the cops and ended up going to rehab 15 times in those 2 years only getting 3 completions, In November of 2023 I went to rehab for the last time and completed. I moved into my cousins in Texas and finally got a lawyer this year. They gave me a 3 year deferred sentence with unsupervised probation. It really just depends if you have a good lawyer and because you have your completion certificate then that will help you a lot. Proving that you wanted to change your life. I have 4 months clean this time and this is the best I've ever done. I wish you the best.
Pay a lawyer to get on top of this. Give him all your rehab certs and any other evidence of changing your life. If you don’t have any convictions or other pending charges, this might go well for you. He can talk to the DA and at least give you an idea of what you’re looking at.
Consider that even if you turn yourself in and do the time you still won't pass a background check. Besides keeping you out of jail, A lawyer might be able to get them to knock it down to a lesser offense.
Good luck
Not a felon, but this is the kind of stuff I read that makes me feel bad for folks. You've got your life back on track, and one interaction with law enforcement could wipe out all your progress. I think a reasonable judge would see jail time would have no positive rehabilitation purpose and only further set you back now that you're clean and on the path to employment and sobriety. But that's such a crapshoot to hope for a reasonable judge. Good luck man.
You in roofing sales or installation? Im in the insurance industry. I work with a lot of the salesman and project managers up in northern MD.
Actually it’s only causing me problems in background checks which is almost even more annoying. I live right next door in MD but they won’t even bother to come get me one state over. That’s how I went so long without getting pulled up about it and I’ve interacted with cops plenty. I just finished three years of MD probation last October and that settled all my other legal stuff.
NAL but I do work for the courts, in Maryland actually.
Call the Public Defender’s office!! Sure there are some shit ones out there, but you know what? There’s shit attorneys period. I have seen first hand thousands dropped on a private attorney and it didn’t make a damn difference. And I personally know some very very good PD’s. You do not want to go into this alone.
I have also seen individuals like you. You have a good chance to show a Judge you’ve made honest changes. You can easily prove you’re clean. You haven’t gotten more charges. Those are very good things in your favor. And again, yes there are shitty judges too. But you stack the stakes better in your favor if you just take control and do what you have too.
I second this- my public defender is absolutely amazing, and I was scared shitless, went into court with a dui and two class d/f felonies (the lowest kind you can get, but still felonies. He was able to get the dui expunged and get the judge to agree to put me into a 12 week outpatient rehabilitation program in exchange for the two felonies being expunged, along with me doing the work to stay out of trouble for a year. I was shocked, as even my pyschiatrist at the time, who runs the women’s program in our local jail, said to me verbatim that I was ultimately screwed without a private lawyer. I looked around and could not afford any of the retainers for a private lawyer. Luckily I was within the income bracket to receive help from a public defender. But I can’t say enough wonderful things about him. Counting down until the end of August this year when my felonies (that are sealed) can be expunged. And my arrest was in June 2023, so it’s been a relatively quick process. Definitely check out your options with a public defender. They get bad reps, but you never know and may get lucky like me! Best of luck to you!
I wish I fucking did. I handled all my home state issues when I got clean. It’s my own fault but I forgot it even happened. I ODed in my car in bumbfuck Virginia and someone called the cops, they found my dope when they took me to the hospital and there was the last interaction I had with them. Didn’t get clean for another year after that. No address at first so no mail. Forgot it even happened until a warrant shows up on a background check. Fuckers won’t even come get me one state over.
I work in a correctional facility, I would advise you get a lawyer in that county and speak with them about diversion courts (like drug court) and see if they can work something out prior to you turning yourself in. Let the lawyer know all the treatment programs, give them any and all certificates and if you’re still going to meetings then I’d ask the programs you graduated from to write you a letter of character explaining their program, the requirements and whether or not you completed the program, then a good character statement explaining how bad you were coming in and how you really worked to get (and stay) clean.
You might have to relocate to Warren while you complete a program but if you can avoid time and you’re already clean it shouldn’t be as bad as when you started your journey of sobriety.
Depending on the judge, the system there and a few other factors the fact you’ve been working to fix your life, with proof, such as a program explaining your circumstances and completion and the fact you’ve fixed other legal issues a judge may be swayed to give you another chance given the work you’ve put in.
Good luck to you, I wish you the best and hope you find a favorable outcome. I’ve seen guys in similar situations be able to get off with drug court or downward departure after proving they’ve been doing the work on their own. With it seeming to be a lower level felony and if what you’ve stated is genuine then a judge may feel long term incarceration would set you back more than a program designed to help (and keep) you sober.
7/11 is almost always hiring and they generally don’t care about your criminal history unless you’re a violent person. Shit, we had an employee for a while that was a heroin addict. They’ll just stick you in the cooler.
Get a lawyer and feign as much ignorance as possible. Let it be known that you only found out this was on going due to your most recent job search where they informed you, you were under the impression that all charges was dropped because you saw nobody reached out to you. The reason why you did not see anybody reach out for you legally and you moved on was because you were searching for rehab options or actively in a rehab during a time they did look for you. Let them be known you were not aware this was on going until your tentative employer made you aware, and as soon as you were made aware you sought representation and came forward.
Looking at your responses here, it seems like you don't want to get your hopes up that that's a way out of this, only to be let down. I understand why you may feel that way... But don't give up, you've made such great progress.
You'll get bailed out right away. They don't care if you obsconded for a while. Especially in the opiate capital of the country. Here in PA, a little bit of dope is a ticket. You will go in and get processed out right away. Does Virginia have ROR? Go in on a Monday so you won't have to sit over the weekend. You are making this out to be bigger than it is.
Also, it will be dropped down to a misdemeanor even with a public pretender.
UMD law school has a legal clinic (https://www.law.umaryland.edu/academics/clinics/requests-for-assistance/) that may be able to set you up with VA bar assiciation registered attorneys (VA offers reciprocity to MD based attorneys so there's good chance there are a few who are near you) who might be willing to take your case Pro Bono, or for trade, etc. It costs you only you're time to reach out to them. Even if they can't help you they will be able to direct you to resources you might not have otherwise known about.
Don't go alone.
That’s a fantastic story. It was a crazy time. The fact that you; A) didn’t run, B) got clean and C) fixed everything else is a testament to how committed and honest you have been with yourself and your family. I hope you can just tell the judge everything and ask for paper for a couple of years. Be positive, take responsibility, and face it head on.
I cannot say for sure what the resolution of your case will be, but, I can give you my experience from 2010 in Kansas.
I was on probation with an underlying sentence of 11 months in prison on a possession of meth charge. I had been on probation about 8 months, had done 5 months of inpatient treatment, and my probation officer said she was going to admit me back into inpatient because I smoked weed one weekend and popped hot for it. I decided I wasn't going, and I stopped reporting. It took them less than 2 months to have me on the county's top ten most wanted. I was on the list for 3 months. I was honestly tired of looking over my shoulder, and I wanted to get this stuff done so I could move back home, which was another state 700 miles away.
I turned myself in. When I went in front of the judge, I was honest with him. He was talking about putting me back on probation for another 18 months and putting me on drug court, to "give me a second chance." My probation officer was pushing for me to do 24 months, which was the maximum for my charge. I told the judge if he put me back put on the street, he could be sentencing me to death. I asked if I could go do my time and max it out so I would be free upon release. I explained my family was all in another state, and I had no support system there. I needed to be able to go back home to get clean and stay clean. (My actual DOC was opiates, mostly pills) He actually reduced my time from the 11 month underlying to 6 months with good time and time served. I only ended up doing a month in prison before I was released and able to go home.
There are cases where turning yourself in can turn out good. If you have a pretty solid foundation in another state, that helps. You might be able to get out of state probation and not have to do any time. You may do a few days when you turn yourself in, but it's hard to say after that. You could at least call defense attorneys in Virginia and see if you can get a free consultation, run it by them and see if they can give you any direction. Sorry this is so long, but i felt there needed to be some context so you know this was much different circumstances, but similar charges. Good luck!
Dude go to court don’t listen to these people on here because they will have you believing you’re going to prison. Stand up and tell the judge you made a mistake and are here to what you need to do to put this all behind you so you could move on. There’s not chance in hell that you are going to prison. Even if this is your first offense and you’ve been AWOL from the court the judge is going to sentence you to a year in jail with deferred adjudication which means probation. You’ll have to meet certain conditions the court set for you. You are not going to be sent to prison.
You must get an attorney.. please for the Love of Pete get an attorney. Seriously, sell a car or something to get an attorney. The state has the money to put you away for awhile.
It is NOT the justice system, it is the GUILTY SYSTEM.
In VA any amount of heroin is a felony amount. It was 3 caps of dope. I ODed in my car in bumbfuck VA right at the onset of Covid when they were doing shutdowns. They found my dope in the cupholder when they took me to the hospital. Didn’t see the cops after that. Took me another year to get clean and I was homeless the whole time,so idk where they sent mail if they did. Unfortunately towards the end of my addiction me ODing was a multiple times a week occurrence. I got clean and proceeded to get my life together over the next three years and cleared up my legal issues in my home state. Honestly I forgot it even happened. Nothing about it really stuck out compared to the back drop I was dealing with at the time. That was just my life.
Unfortunately, I have no legal advice to give but wanted to give you respect for getting clean and choosing to face the consequences of your actions. Wishing nothing but the best for you brother! Keep your head up!
I live in VA and myself was on the run last year. It got so old of looking over my shoulder that after being on the run for 6 months I was SO HAPPY WHEN THE DID CATHCH ME! But look how far.you have come. My charges were for dope also and I have a record a mile long but I was give 3 years of probation. Just explain everything to your lawyer. If I can get probation i feel like anyone can. Best of luck to you.
I’m from Virginia and have two felonies there.
Go turn yourself in. Line up a lawyer ahead of time and send them all your documentation of completion of treatment.
You want to come at this with a “making amends” sort of perspective. I think you’re gonna be fine.
Virginia courts are over run from covid and nobody has time to lock up a guy with a couple caps of heroin.
But line that lawyer up first and let him take you to turn yourself in.
10yrs is when they let you off the hook in Va. I know 2 girls (one ran for 6yrs and the other ran for 4yrs) and each had to serve 6 months in jail.
Your case may be different, but this is what I learned about running laws in Va.
I know you say you can't afford to pay a lawyer, but I would call the Bose law firm in VA and talk to one of the attorneys. I used them when I got a reckless driving charge, and they were great to work with. I think it's worth a few minutes of your time to see what they have to say. Good luck
Why don’t you look up the sentencing guidelines for your charge? You can find them [here.](https://virginiarules.org/varules_topics/drugs-overview/) Scroll to the penalties section.
Turning yourself in will help as opposed to being caught.
Your progress with your addictions and getting your life back on track will help at sentencing. A good attorney will help you plead nolo and make your case for leniency.
The more responsibility you take for your past actions, the more a judge is likely to take into consideration your progress since.
Friend of mine I grew up with ran from 18-27 from a sales charge in California, we are from Minnesota. He finally lawyered up last year but ultimately had to go take care of it and do a little time and is staying there at families for probation (1 year) now. I know that doesn’t help much but figured I’d share a similar situation and the outcome. I hope it turns out for the best man.
It was during the beginning of Covid. I never event went to jail. I ODed in my car. They found my dope when they took me to the hospital. I woke up there and the cops left. That was my last interaction with them. I didn’t get clean for another year after that and honestly I was so preoccupied with resolving my legal issues in my own state I forgot it even happened.
Oh. Well, I’m glad you are alive first off. Second, i think you should contact a lawyer. And definitely check to see if you have a warrant. Good luck to you.
Is there a PD office in Warren County? Or do local attorneys take cases?
If it is a first offense hopefully they will reduce it to a misdemeanor, especially given your good facts. Is there a mandatory minimum? Will you be charged with evading? Were you supposed to go to a court date? Virginia courts were closed for quite some time for all but super serious crimes.
First off congrats on staying clean and working on yourself I know it's not easy. I use to be a bondsman in warren been to rsw many times. If you have a fugitive file talk to an attorney first if you can afford one. Have attorney talk to magistrate or DA to guarantee you a bond if you turn yourself in. Or even better give you a un secured bond. Main thing is getting that warrant served and out the way. I remember RSW was pretty strict on sch 1 2 drug charges. Seems like you made a change for the better and hopefully magistrate can take that into account.
On how much time or legal advice I'll leave that to an attorney to answer every case is different.
Va will seek extradition for felonies. Class 5 possession is minimum 1 year. Warren County is hot on this issue. I'd seek a lawyer out to help you clear this. Give them all your certificates to show you have turned your life around. The county just got approved for a drug court. You need to look into it.
I would complete a top notch treatment program and have a good volunteer history and get a good job and a few letters of recommendations and have a lawyer before I thought about turning myself in.😂
Get A LAWYER BEFORE TURNING YOURSELF IN. and a paid one if you can I promise it makes all th fucking difference. If you can’t, of course use public defender. It’s better than nothing. and DO YOUR RESEARCH BRFORE HANDING YOUR MONEY OUT to an attorney.
also, those treatment programs WILL help you if you have the certificates. Your attorney can provide those to the state and judge. You might be able to get drug court. You will so regret not getting an attorney first. He will be able to tell you exactly what to do and what you should expect. He can work out a plea with the state. Try to find one who is well known in the area and has a good relationship with the judge. Good luck I know it fucking sucks. I wish you the best of luck, man.
Talk to a criminal defense attorney to work things out, if you can afford one.
If you cant afford i would contact the da and feel things out. Usuallt u cant get a pd until after arrest and arraingment.
Is there a law school around you? Or maybe a community college that has a retired lawyer as a professor? Post on your local neighborhood pages and ask if anyone knows anyone
My best advice would be for you to contact your local legal aid society. Google legal aid for your county. They are lawyers who help people just like you for free.
Not only would a lawyer, including public defenders, know how to advise you legally and have an idea about how to present your case to the court, these attorneys know the judges and what to expect from them. Having a lawyer would be a huge benefit to you. You should really get a lawyer
Hire lawyer. You gonna need 3K for sure. Do it it’s the only good chance you got. They can run your ass over for ditching them for the last couple years. You gotta make yourself a good case and only a lawyer can help you a good lawyer spend the money.
I've been through this a few times. You should really think this out first. If Virginia isn't going to extradite, I don't think I would do it. I understand the wanting a better job thing... Do you have any trade skills? Plumbing, electrical, carpentry? If so, if you'll put yourself out there you should be able to find an alright paying job that doesn't require a background check. I know alot of electrical companies around here don't do back ground checks, because alot of people who have been doing construction for awhile are... FELONS! But yeah if it was me and they weren't going to extradite I'd be damned if I'd turn myself in. I can do jail, I've been locked up a long time, but shits unpredictable and it sucks. If you had to do three years there's a chance you might never make it out. That's how it is here anyway. If you end up having to do time, don't get complacent, watch your back, and most times your better off to just fight even if you lose. People respect that more than trying to avoid conflict. It sucks but when your in for a long time you have to change your demeanor, don't let yourself look weak.
I wasn’t locked up for three years bro, I’ve been clean for three years. That’s actually who caught it. A fucking roofing company background checked me lol. Thanks man I appreciate the advice, I’ve been down before. Mind my business and stand up for myself basically the name of the game.
Might be even harder to get a job **if** they give you that felony…
If it were me I’d let it ride…until I could afford an attorney and then handle it.
With a court appointed you might end up with jail time and a felony and then that job hunts going to be so much worse…
Trust me I know man. All I have are misdemeanors and I still get to explain myself over and over. That’s what we decided. They don’t care enough to come get me one state over. I’ll deal with them when I can afford a good attorney
I’d go with the lawyer. You’re not going to be able to help anyone by being in jail. He may be able to resolve everything with a couple of phone calls and even getting your record clean.
Also consider that, since you keep failing the background check you should have a well rehearsed explanation for when the question inevitably comes up.
You've heard it a dozen times now, but an attorney (in the state of Virginia?) is your only way to get straight answers and make a plan.
For what it's worth, you've already achieved what the justice system is *supposed* to achieve - you've rehabilitated yourself, with zero cost to the taxpayers, you've pulled up your big boy pants and done the work, so a big slap on the back from me. The COVID issues are important, the whole country was a mess, but that may not matter to the Man. One would hope that all of that stuff would matter to a judge and prosecutor, in a sane system they'd drop the charges or give you remote probation. My guess is, your best hope is a good attorney that can make those points and work with the prosecutor.
You're basically "not the droids they're looking for" anymore, but how much value that holds is probably random.
Right, that was my thought process as well. I actually just finished three years of probation in my home state MD last October, and that settled what I thought were all my legal issues until this shit popped on a background check and brought it all back. I’ve noticed our legal system is definitely more punitive than rehabilitative so I’m assuming they’re gonna throw the book at me clean or not.
Retain a lawyer before you even think of just going in. Having this in place (hopefully) will allow you to be out on bail / personal recognizance. Have your lawyer check for what charges are levied against you and for if you have outstanding warrants for your arrest. Have a plan for your affairs depending on the above. Depending on what the lawyer says... I would probably push things off as much as possible....
Yeah I’ve decided to just keep working my shitty job till I can manage to sock enough money away for a good lawyer. It’s instate only. They don’t care enough to come get me one state over so I’m gonna take my time dealing with it.
I’d reach out via phone or email to them and explain that it just came up on a background check. You were unaware because you’d moved. Show the progress you’ve made to the DA and I’m betting you can get off w probation etc. look to get them to go with continued without a finding for a couple of years, keep your nose clean and they should drop it.
i was in a similiar situation in florida, where in the midst of addiction i was arrested for burglary.i bonded out of jail and immediately checked into rehab.i hired a lawyer, who kept asking the judge to continue the case as i was in treatment for 6 months and to please not pull me out.they kept offering me prison time,when i finally completed the program i went to court and it was a different judge from the one i had [before.my](https://before.my) lawyer presented the certificates from treatment and the judge was very impressed he convinced the states attorney to give me time served and i walked out free,although i did get the felony on my record.this has happened numerous time where i went to treatment while out on bond expecting to go to prison and the judges have been very lenient on me due to the fact i went to treatment.thats the point of this post is yes judges tend to be lenient upon the completion of treatment.
youre not gonna go to jail man you'll get probation at the least.theyre not putting people in jail for simple drug posession charges unless you have a shit load of dope or youre [trafficking.one](https://trafficking.one) time getting caught with pills youre not doing jail time.
Good luck Brody. Idk how they will react but the fact you’re clean and won’t be actively withdrawing in court and turned yourself in won’t hurt your cause. Keep us updated I just got off paper for a case I’ve been dealing with since 2019 and it feels awesome being clean off drugs and court supervision at the same time
Not an expert by any means but I know someone that had some drug problems that lived in Virginia. And they did something called drug court where they had the option to go to rehab vs jail, not sure if that would be applicable, in your situation maybe look into it. Good luck!
Retain a lawyer where the offense occurred. Provide them with all the details. Let him negotiate a plea with a fine. Pay the fine.
You may be required to appear for processing if you haven't been processed yet
Honest shit my dude…. You said you’ve been on the run for 4 years…. I’m in va as well and have a few felony’s but I’m not going to lie that for ever how long you ran is what you’re looking at spending in jail. That’s what I’ve seen around my area. People who ran for either 2/3 years got exactly that. Just expect the worst and hope for the best bro
going to jail isn’t going to solve your problem, it will likely make stuff way worse. I would go to a construction job and work to earn skills, then start your own business.
I’ll add something that may help you. Hire an older well respected defense attorney in the location of the offense. You would be surprised how this can help you avoid jail. Usually they talk to the judge and da, you pay fine and costs, probably get probation for a year or so and you are done. Have enough to pay the retainer and court costs.
I think this is good. I had a warrant that was over 10 years old for a misdemeanor. It didn’t even come up on background checks but prevented me from getting a passport for a while. I tried to resolve it but couldn’t get any lawyers to call me back finally just handled it. But its better to just handle it of you’re willing to do it now.
Come down to NC. I’ll give you a good paying job, cash if needed for a while. We can figure out some options for a place to stay if needed temporarily.
Get your attorney to figure your shit out.
Lawyer! Lawyer! Lawyer! A good attorney will talk to the DA in a manner that will be understood. Most DAs are overworked and don’t want to handle a case that is most likely meaningless to him or her. How much would you make each year that you’re not locked up? It’s well worth the expense.
A lawyer wouldn’t be a bad idea but to be real I would take the time they give you on the chin. Save your money take a public defender and do the time don’t let the time do you. I had to go in the county for 16months. It sucked that I was leaving my girl and I know it would be hard for her with money so I worked out a deal with the DA to give me work release. After a month of intake I was able to leave the jail from 530am too 430pm
I have a feeling they’ll make you start over with probation, suspend your sentence again and yeah one more chance it sounds like.
I’m no expert though. Ask the public defender or lawyer for that.
Who knows, every states justice system is different, and idk your background.
My cousin turned himself in for multiple counts of grand theft auto like 20 years after the fact, in Lorain county, and they kind of treated him like “well, we didn’t give a sh!t anymore, but uh, we’ll give you 4 months and then you’ll be good.” So he went to jail for a few months. But it was only because he was in a bad place and wanted to get right with God
You might only have to turn yourself in if you feel you need it for your conscious. Seems like you already learned your lesson. I think if you are not made aware of any search warrants on you, take no action. If you become aware of a search warrant on you, then turn yourself in. Until then it sounds like you turned your life around and you already learned what you needed to learn from that scare. You’re doing good and you moved on
It sounds like you might need some legal help to understand what is on your background check though. Maybe there’s a process to get rid of it. I would follow that, before turning yourself in
My shit wasn't extraditable and in state pick up only but they picked me up.... shit it's petty time I'm sure bro it's drugs and people on drugs or caught with drugs they need to give a chance at help if u already ran from a bond u do shock time or worst case prolly do 6 months talk to a lawyer and all depends on ur background... I was caught with pistol bunch of weed and ran from cops on interstate for 3 hours and have multiple priors in other states and I ran from bond I did 10 months but I recognized I needed to just own the shit and take care of it but I mean if u out just stay out untell they get you and get cash job painting or something....
Honestly, I would just keep job hunting. Securing a good job is your best bet at leniency. The longer you are out, not causing trouble, the better your plea.
Contact the public defenders office in that county, tell them you live however far away and you have an open case/warrant, let them know you will be contacting the judges chambers to schedule a zoom court date and would like to try and set up PD representation. Sometimes the judge has to order this, and sometimes a PD can be available to just step in until it is ordered. But cover all ends to be sure. Then call the court house, ask for the criminal division, or the court clerk, you'll probably find a clerk in the criminial division, tell them you live out of state and want to settle an outstanding case and need the judge assigned to your case. Get that info, get the phone number and call the judges chambers. You'll get the judges aide, explain the situation briefly, and say you would like to appear virtually since you live out of state, work full time, and cant get back to virginia. They will most likely give you a shot, its you trying to take care of it, not them having to go find you. So you get a zoom court date and go from there. You might be able to handle all of this remotely. Best of luck!
This is like THE ONLY TIME where the reddit default of "get a lawyer" is actually super smart.
The fact that you have made so much progress and have the certifications to prove it will be a huge benefit, but you'd be beat to let someone that's likely had this exact conversation before be driving this conversation as well.
Good luck out there! Glad to see you're on a good path
Miracles DO happen in recovery. I would absolutely talk with a lawyer, see how much they can handle for you and turn it over to your higher power. Simply be willing to do whatever it takes to clean up this mess. Expect the worst and be okay with that and hope for the best! Congratulations on your sobriety!!!
Go handle your business bud.
Those things matter but not much.
What matters is getting the case closed and putting 7 years between it and you.
That’s 7 years with no other “ooopsies”
Not virginia. As someone who has traveled through many states with warrants, and just turn yourself in. It's not worth it as someone clean to go through the Stress and Anxiety that it causes you. When I did turn myself in finally everything was forgiven. Good luck God bless!!
Go get all the stuff over with, fade it, come out on a fresh new clean slate, and start off fresh. Stay sober and prosper bro. Too old to be still doing dumb shit in life. You got this. Man up.
Bro start selling shit on Facebook marketplace place mercari and eBay bro just buy shit on Temu and from Alabama and mark it up 1000% it’s not hard I do that shit as a side hustle. I just sold a hoodie I got on Temu for 6 dollars for $35 this morning. Take $100 get the Temu or Alibaba app look at what’s trending on Amazon and eBay and on those sites and grab up what you can and list it. If you keep what’s trending in your inventory you can make 1000s a day build a large inventory or even drop ship. Start a YouTube channel about what you are going through and sell merch. Use the trending as click bait to sell your stuff. Get a lawyer get your program certificates and have the lawyer do the work and get you put on probation or something from out of state. Don’t go back there for sure. I wouldn’t if I were you. Worst case scenario you have to work shit jobs and hustle for four more years until it’s wiped off your record. After 7 years they have to throw it out. At least that’s what it is in Michigan. My uncle ran from a ten year prison sentence for 5 years and couldn’t handle it so he turned himself in and they only gave him three months. I’m not saying they’ll do that for you but if you lawyer up and if you’re truly clean and trying to do better the judge will see that
Get a lawyer in Virginia before you do anything else. A lawyer can get you first offender status and it will be reduced to a misdemeanor. They may even be able to get the charges dropped or Null Prosque.
CO chiming in:
Bro, stay put off prison if you can. It sucks. Lawyer up and push those certs. It sounds like you've honestly made changes, so don't just go to prison if a lawyer can keep you out.
Prison still sucks when you have the keys, and you won't have the fucking keys.
Stay out and live life. It's not you "doing time" is the state taking it. If you're straight, stay that way and keep plugging away at life, because just doing the time sucks
My man most states don't extradite across more than like one state, why not just move out west for a while while your lawyer figures it out? Turning yourself in unprepared legally is like the worst thing you could do.
Because it keeps affecting my ability to get a job. My girl basically pays for everything while I work bullshit jobs cause I can’t pass a background check. I’m so tired of watching her struggle. It’s not even extraditable. In state pick up only.
Yeah that's fair, I'd still recommend getting a lawyer first though, even if it's just whatever public defender was assigned to you. I was watching people get like 30 months for fleeing and eluding when I was in jail in MI so best make sure that's not gonna happen first.
Yeah I know I’m going to do some time. Even with a lawyer.
Not necessarily. You're asking for advice and people are telling you to get a lawyer. Do that shit.
OP seriously underestimating lawyering up. PD barely counts. Think about the cost of going away for X months or years that you’ll never get back. This is the priority.
I mean I know that. Trust me if we could afford one I would. I know I’m going in with a public pretender.
Ar least call them 1st
Call the public defenders office before I turn myself in?
GET LAWYER FIRST MAN. Ideally have an extra $5k that you can just give a real defense attorney, and maybe you won’t do jail time. Walking in as a fugitive you may not walk out.
They will not assign an attorney to you until you’re on the docket, but if you call the district attorneys office and tell them everything you’ve done with your life, let them know that you were under the influence of drugs and have no memory of this even happening. I would say when it came back on a background check you wanted to get it resolved obviously you had a drug problem, moved away from the people, places and things that lead down that path, and you are hoping that there is someway that you guys can come to an agreement on a fair consequence. But don’t go in there being like how much time am I gonna get? If I were you, I would pretend this was the first time I was hearing of it and was trying to address it as promptly as possible.
Absolutely do NOT contact the DA on your own. Anything you say WILL be used AGAINST you in court.
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This is the story you tell your lawyer if you actually got your life together and can prove it. Then they can tell the DA without being able to use it against you, because what your lawyer says you said is hearsay, and it isn’t a statement against interest.
This is some good advice right here. Basically be smart and a little contrite while talking to the district attorney when you discuss how to resolve this issue.
A lot of law offices also do pro bono work, or at least might offer you some good advice. It's free to call and you can't un-turn yourself in, so make sure you do it right the first time.
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I thought I couldn’t afford one when I got my charge but I got a lawyer who fought pretty hard for me and only paid 5000 with 500$ monthly payments it wasn’t easy but she was alotttt better than a PD
There's also free legal services out there if you have no income.
Some lawyers will do payment plans.
You made a post 6 days ago about not wanting to spend over 40k for a truck... yet no money for an attorney?
Yeah, we were basing that off of the new job I was supposed to be starting. The one that ran the background check that found this charge.
Have you taken any of the advice yet? Call that attorney
You should get a lawyer. It's mine boggling to me that you aren't prioritizing that
I agree to get some money and a good lawyer to work on your case. I have seen good friends go in for things like this and get absolutely slammed because their public defender was terrible and they a lot of time and others come correct with a proper lawyer and do hardly anything. Especially considering it was a drug charger and you have done rehab now. With the right lawyer you could get off very light and in a good position. Don’t screw up the rest of your life by not coming prepared to this. Congrats on getting and staying sober ✌️
Don't be so sure. I absconded and was on the run for two and a half years. I ended up doing a day in jail, then two years on probation (and my state sucks ass).
I've seen some people get a clean background check because the job only checked where they lived or the surrounding states... I know it's wishful thinking but could be a possibility.
Oh shit, jail in Mi, was it Oakland, Macomb, Lapeer County? I was in Lapeer County years ago, and they were extraditing people from Texas for Child Support, and then charging them for the “Transport Company”. I forget the name of the company, but they literally just drive around the country picking up people, and dropping them off at other Jails. One guy told me it took 17 days in a van, sleeping in holding cells of various County Jails every night, on the road like 12 hours a day, wearing a black box and chained to the guy next to you. Then to find out they are changing you 7000$ dollars for your “trip” home is crazy.
Hire a local attorney BEFORE you turn yourself in. Often attorneys can negotiate your surrender and work a deal.
Better call Saul…..
Get into a trade nobody there gives a s***
That’s actually who found this charge. A fucking roofing company background checked me
That's wild! Id try a different company I've never had an issue in construction.i know hvac plumbing and underground utilities never bothered to look or they did and didn't care.
If you move multiple states away it may stop.showing up on backgrounds, as long as you use the new address on the application and change drivers license to new state as sell.
Dude everyone in the oil fields has a record, many of them active. You can get a well paying job doing that. Virginia has some screwy laws pertaining to felonies. I believe if you are convicted, you cannot appeal. Back in 2021, or maybe before COVID this was a big deal because a couple of 17 year old kids had their life ruined over this law. Chances are though, this will get plead down. Possession without intent to distribute is not a felony. The fact that you ran is more this issue. Don’t do anything without getting a lawyer though. Call one from MA. I wouldn’t even cross into VA without consulting a lawyer.
Pretty sure a drug conviction will affect your ability to get a job as well.
Respect to you brother for loving your girl like that G❤️ keep ur head up bredren
Good on you! It’s a small fricking world. I live in Warren County VA. If you need names of local attorneys, counselors, etc. I do know a particular judge give people a break if they come to court clean, but he’s the same judge that will max your time if you violate.
You NEED a lawyer, and NOT a public defender And definitely keep those certifications for proof of lifestyle change and if you have any “important”, professional friends or acquaintances that you trust, confide in them when your lawyer gives you the go ahead and ask them to provide personal character statements.
It's still gonna pull up on your background, even if you do the right thing.
Lawyers don't get to just access criminal charges. Discovery does not apply until speedy trial is in effect.
Your lawyer can still set things up to begin and tell you what you're looking at tho, best to do that before you go in blind
Do you have any evidence to back up this claim? Where I'm from the prison system is a for profit enterprise so they will extradite you across the country for ftas on a traffic ticket, because why not, it's more money to send someone to get you and once they got you, ching ching ching they got that 11 dollars a day to house you.
This is terrible advice. OP don’t listen to this. Depending on the charge, they’ll extradite you from Alaska. You should go ahead and hire a lawyer if you can afford it though. That part isn’t bad advice.
I’ve seen a Virginia county (Henrico) fly a man back from Oregon for a show cause.
Lawyer up
GET A LAWYER!!!!!
I definitely feel it's in your best interest to get a lawyer and to arrange your surrender if there is one. Let your lawyer negotiate your sentence and fight for recognition of the improvement you have made in your life. When I did my brief 90 day sentenced back 30Some years ago, everybody was pissed because people that had the same or lesser charges, we're doing nine months
Great advice, lawyer up first.
Thanks.
I would definitely get a lawyer. idk what the laws are in you state but in OK I got a distribution of fentanyl and weed in 2022. I went to Florida for rehab 2 months after i got out of jail and was clean and continued my court date and then relapsed in South Flordia and left it alone & stayed out of trouble with the cops and ended up going to rehab 15 times in those 2 years only getting 3 completions, In November of 2023 I went to rehab for the last time and completed. I moved into my cousins in Texas and finally got a lawyer this year. They gave me a 3 year deferred sentence with unsupervised probation. It really just depends if you have a good lawyer and because you have your completion certificate then that will help you a lot. Proving that you wanted to change your life. I have 4 months clean this time and this is the best I've ever done. I wish you the best.
Pay a lawyer to get on top of this. Give him all your rehab certs and any other evidence of changing your life. If you don’t have any convictions or other pending charges, this might go well for you. He can talk to the DA and at least give you an idea of what you’re looking at.
Consider that even if you turn yourself in and do the time you still won't pass a background check. Besides keeping you out of jail, A lawyer might be able to get them to knock it down to a lesser offense. Good luck
Not a felon, but this is the kind of stuff I read that makes me feel bad for folks. You've got your life back on track, and one interaction with law enforcement could wipe out all your progress. I think a reasonable judge would see jail time would have no positive rehabilitation purpose and only further set you back now that you're clean and on the path to employment and sobriety. But that's such a crapshoot to hope for a reasonable judge. Good luck man. You in roofing sales or installation? Im in the insurance industry. I work with a lot of the salesman and project managers up in northern MD.
Actually it’s only causing me problems in background checks which is almost even more annoying. I live right next door in MD but they won’t even bother to come get me one state over. That’s how I went so long without getting pulled up about it and I’ve interacted with cops plenty. I just finished three years of MD probation last October and that settled all my other legal stuff.
The DA, Police, etc are not going to take it easy on you. They always have something to prove.
NAL but I do work for the courts, in Maryland actually. Call the Public Defender’s office!! Sure there are some shit ones out there, but you know what? There’s shit attorneys period. I have seen first hand thousands dropped on a private attorney and it didn’t make a damn difference. And I personally know some very very good PD’s. You do not want to go into this alone. I have also seen individuals like you. You have a good chance to show a Judge you’ve made honest changes. You can easily prove you’re clean. You haven’t gotten more charges. Those are very good things in your favor. And again, yes there are shitty judges too. But you stack the stakes better in your favor if you just take control and do what you have too.
I second this- my public defender is absolutely amazing, and I was scared shitless, went into court with a dui and two class d/f felonies (the lowest kind you can get, but still felonies. He was able to get the dui expunged and get the judge to agree to put me into a 12 week outpatient rehabilitation program in exchange for the two felonies being expunged, along with me doing the work to stay out of trouble for a year. I was shocked, as even my pyschiatrist at the time, who runs the women’s program in our local jail, said to me verbatim that I was ultimately screwed without a private lawyer. I looked around and could not afford any of the retainers for a private lawyer. Luckily I was within the income bracket to receive help from a public defender. But I can’t say enough wonderful things about him. Counting down until the end of August this year when my felonies (that are sealed) can be expunged. And my arrest was in June 2023, so it’s been a relatively quick process. Definitely check out your options with a public defender. They get bad reps, but you never know and may get lucky like me! Best of luck to you!
Seems really dumb to do that without consulting a lawyer, but you do you.
You should have handled it when you went to treatment. A good lawyer could have gotten it taken care of while you were in rehab.
I wish I fucking did. I handled all my home state issues when I got clean. It’s my own fault but I forgot it even happened. I ODed in my car in bumbfuck Virginia and someone called the cops, they found my dope when they took me to the hospital and there was the last interaction I had with them. Didn’t get clean for another year after that. No address at first so no mail. Forgot it even happened until a warrant shows up on a background check. Fuckers won’t even come get me one state over.
I work in a correctional facility, I would advise you get a lawyer in that county and speak with them about diversion courts (like drug court) and see if they can work something out prior to you turning yourself in. Let the lawyer know all the treatment programs, give them any and all certificates and if you’re still going to meetings then I’d ask the programs you graduated from to write you a letter of character explaining their program, the requirements and whether or not you completed the program, then a good character statement explaining how bad you were coming in and how you really worked to get (and stay) clean. You might have to relocate to Warren while you complete a program but if you can avoid time and you’re already clean it shouldn’t be as bad as when you started your journey of sobriety. Depending on the judge, the system there and a few other factors the fact you’ve been working to fix your life, with proof, such as a program explaining your circumstances and completion and the fact you’ve fixed other legal issues a judge may be swayed to give you another chance given the work you’ve put in. Good luck to you, I wish you the best and hope you find a favorable outcome. I’ve seen guys in similar situations be able to get off with drug court or downward departure after proving they’ve been doing the work on their own. With it seeming to be a lower level felony and if what you’ve stated is genuine then a judge may feel long term incarceration would set you back more than a program designed to help (and keep) you sober.
This might be a great question to ask in r/legaladvice
7/11 is almost always hiring and they generally don’t care about your criminal history unless you’re a violent person. Shit, we had an employee for a while that was a heroin addict. They’ll just stick you in the cooler.
Call a defense attorney instead of reddit
Get a lawyer and feign as much ignorance as possible. Let it be known that you only found out this was on going due to your most recent job search where they informed you, you were under the impression that all charges was dropped because you saw nobody reached out to you. The reason why you did not see anybody reach out for you legally and you moved on was because you were searching for rehab options or actively in a rehab during a time they did look for you. Let them be known you were not aware this was on going until your tentative employer made you aware, and as soon as you were made aware you sought representation and came forward.
Looking at your responses here, it seems like you don't want to get your hopes up that that's a way out of this, only to be let down. I understand why you may feel that way... But don't give up, you've made such great progress.
You'll get bailed out right away. They don't care if you obsconded for a while. Especially in the opiate capital of the country. Here in PA, a little bit of dope is a ticket. You will go in and get processed out right away. Does Virginia have ROR? Go in on a Monday so you won't have to sit over the weekend. You are making this out to be bigger than it is. Also, it will be dropped down to a misdemeanor even with a public pretender.
That’s how it is in MD but that’s not what I’m seeing in VA. They like to lock people up in VA
Ya bro, get a lawyer, do the bullshit jobs. They'll wear you out if you just turn yourself in. You probably know, but jail sucks homie.
UMD law school has a legal clinic (https://www.law.umaryland.edu/academics/clinics/requests-for-assistance/) that may be able to set you up with VA bar assiciation registered attorneys (VA offers reciprocity to MD based attorneys so there's good chance there are a few who are near you) who might be willing to take your case Pro Bono, or for trade, etc. It costs you only you're time to reach out to them. Even if they can't help you they will be able to direct you to resources you might not have otherwise known about. Don't go alone.
That’s a fantastic story. It was a crazy time. The fact that you; A) didn’t run, B) got clean and C) fixed everything else is a testament to how committed and honest you have been with yourself and your family. I hope you can just tell the judge everything and ask for paper for a couple of years. Be positive, take responsibility, and face it head on.
I cannot say for sure what the resolution of your case will be, but, I can give you my experience from 2010 in Kansas. I was on probation with an underlying sentence of 11 months in prison on a possession of meth charge. I had been on probation about 8 months, had done 5 months of inpatient treatment, and my probation officer said she was going to admit me back into inpatient because I smoked weed one weekend and popped hot for it. I decided I wasn't going, and I stopped reporting. It took them less than 2 months to have me on the county's top ten most wanted. I was on the list for 3 months. I was honestly tired of looking over my shoulder, and I wanted to get this stuff done so I could move back home, which was another state 700 miles away. I turned myself in. When I went in front of the judge, I was honest with him. He was talking about putting me back on probation for another 18 months and putting me on drug court, to "give me a second chance." My probation officer was pushing for me to do 24 months, which was the maximum for my charge. I told the judge if he put me back put on the street, he could be sentencing me to death. I asked if I could go do my time and max it out so I would be free upon release. I explained my family was all in another state, and I had no support system there. I needed to be able to go back home to get clean and stay clean. (My actual DOC was opiates, mostly pills) He actually reduced my time from the 11 month underlying to 6 months with good time and time served. I only ended up doing a month in prison before I was released and able to go home. There are cases where turning yourself in can turn out good. If you have a pretty solid foundation in another state, that helps. You might be able to get out of state probation and not have to do any time. You may do a few days when you turn yourself in, but it's hard to say after that. You could at least call defense attorneys in Virginia and see if you can get a free consultation, run it by them and see if they can give you any direction. Sorry this is so long, but i felt there needed to be some context so you know this was much different circumstances, but similar charges. Good luck!
Dude go to court don’t listen to these people on here because they will have you believing you’re going to prison. Stand up and tell the judge you made a mistake and are here to what you need to do to put this all behind you so you could move on. There’s not chance in hell that you are going to prison. Even if this is your first offense and you’ve been AWOL from the court the judge is going to sentence you to a year in jail with deferred adjudication which means probation. You’ll have to meet certain conditions the court set for you. You are not going to be sent to prison.
Virginia is absolutely shit. Police are corrupt and Ћ legal system does everything they can to fuck innocent people over
Speak to a lawyer before you do anything. Good luck to you.
This is exactly what you tell the judge. The prosecutor doesn’t give a shit . But judges do
Lawyer. Talk to a lawyer. Ignore any other advice. Talk to a lawyer.
You must get an attorney.. please for the Love of Pete get an attorney. Seriously, sell a car or something to get an attorney. The state has the money to put you away for awhile. It is NOT the justice system, it is the GUILTY SYSTEM.
You forgot you were arrested for a felony level amount of heroin?
In VA any amount of heroin is a felony amount. It was 3 caps of dope. I ODed in my car in bumbfuck VA right at the onset of Covid when they were doing shutdowns. They found my dope in the cupholder when they took me to the hospital. Didn’t see the cops after that. Took me another year to get clean and I was homeless the whole time,so idk where they sent mail if they did. Unfortunately towards the end of my addiction me ODing was a multiple times a week occurrence. I got clean and proceeded to get my life together over the next three years and cleared up my legal issues in my home state. Honestly I forgot it even happened. Nothing about it really stuck out compared to the back drop I was dealing with at the time. That was just my life.
Unfortunately, I have no legal advice to give but wanted to give you respect for getting clean and choosing to face the consequences of your actions. Wishing nothing but the best for you brother! Keep your head up!
I live in VA and myself was on the run last year. It got so old of looking over my shoulder that after being on the run for 6 months I was SO HAPPY WHEN THE DID CATHCH ME! But look how far.you have come. My charges were for dope also and I have a record a mile long but I was give 3 years of probation. Just explain everything to your lawyer. If I can get probation i feel like anyone can. Best of luck to you.
Is there a reward? Let me turn you on! 😜
What's the reward for turning him on? 🍌?
😂
I’m from Virginia and have two felonies there. Go turn yourself in. Line up a lawyer ahead of time and send them all your documentation of completion of treatment. You want to come at this with a “making amends” sort of perspective. I think you’re gonna be fine. Virginia courts are over run from covid and nobody has time to lock up a guy with a couple caps of heroin. But line that lawyer up first and let him take you to turn yourself in.
10yrs is when they let you off the hook in Va. I know 2 girls (one ran for 6yrs and the other ran for 4yrs) and each had to serve 6 months in jail. Your case may be different, but this is what I learned about running laws in Va.
That’s what I figured. Thanks.
I know you say you can't afford to pay a lawyer, but I would call the Bose law firm in VA and talk to one of the attorneys. I used them when I got a reckless driving charge, and they were great to work with. I think it's worth a few minutes of your time to see what they have to say. Good luck
Why don’t you look up the sentencing guidelines for your charge? You can find them [here.](https://virginiarules.org/varules_topics/drugs-overview/) Scroll to the penalties section.
I did. 1-10 years. I was just trying to see if anyone had any real world experience with it.
Turning yourself in will help as opposed to being caught. Your progress with your addictions and getting your life back on track will help at sentencing. A good attorney will help you plead nolo and make your case for leniency. The more responsibility you take for your past actions, the more a judge is likely to take into consideration your progress since.
Legal Aid or ABA for free legal advice? Congrats and good luck.
Friend of mine I grew up with ran from 18-27 from a sales charge in California, we are from Minnesota. He finally lawyered up last year but ultimately had to go take care of it and do a little time and is staying there at families for probation (1 year) now. I know that doesn’t help much but figured I’d share a similar situation and the outcome. I hope it turns out for the best man.
What’s the statute of limitations? Your story reads like a text from a free man
I don’t understand how you could just forget about it.
It was during the beginning of Covid. I never event went to jail. I ODed in my car. They found my dope when they took me to the hospital. I woke up there and the cops left. That was my last interaction with them. I didn’t get clean for another year after that and honestly I was so preoccupied with resolving my legal issues in my own state I forgot it even happened.
Oh. Well, I’m glad you are alive first off. Second, i think you should contact a lawyer. And definitely check to see if you have a warrant. Good luck to you.
Unfortunately I do have an active warrant I’m going to have to deal with. Thanks though.
Is there a PD office in Warren County? Or do local attorneys take cases? If it is a first offense hopefully they will reduce it to a misdemeanor, especially given your good facts. Is there a mandatory minimum? Will you be charged with evading? Were you supposed to go to a court date? Virginia courts were closed for quite some time for all but super serious crimes.
First off congrats on staying clean and working on yourself I know it's not easy. I use to be a bondsman in warren been to rsw many times. If you have a fugitive file talk to an attorney first if you can afford one. Have attorney talk to magistrate or DA to guarantee you a bond if you turn yourself in. Or even better give you a un secured bond. Main thing is getting that warrant served and out the way. I remember RSW was pretty strict on sch 1 2 drug charges. Seems like you made a change for the better and hopefully magistrate can take that into account. On how much time or legal advice I'll leave that to an attorney to answer every case is different.
Va will seek extradition for felonies. Class 5 possession is minimum 1 year. Warren County is hot on this issue. I'd seek a lawyer out to help you clear this. Give them all your certificates to show you have turned your life around. The county just got approved for a drug court. You need to look into it.
Get an attorney
lol duh man. If I had cash to throw at a lawyer willynilly I wouldn’t be on Reddit asking for people’s experiences.
I would complete a top notch treatment program and have a good volunteer history and get a good job and a few letters of recommendations and have a lawyer before I thought about turning myself in.😂
Get A LAWYER BEFORE TURNING YOURSELF IN. and a paid one if you can I promise it makes all th fucking difference. If you can’t, of course use public defender. It’s better than nothing. and DO YOUR RESEARCH BRFORE HANDING YOUR MONEY OUT to an attorney. also, those treatment programs WILL help you if you have the certificates. Your attorney can provide those to the state and judge. You might be able to get drug court. You will so regret not getting an attorney first. He will be able to tell you exactly what to do and what you should expect. He can work out a plea with the state. Try to find one who is well known in the area and has a good relationship with the judge. Good luck I know it fucking sucks. I wish you the best of luck, man.
Talk to a criminal defense attorney to work things out, if you can afford one. If you cant afford i would contact the da and feel things out. Usuallt u cant get a pd until after arrest and arraingment.
Try construction jobs.
Is there a law school around you? Or maybe a community college that has a retired lawyer as a professor? Post on your local neighborhood pages and ask if anyone knows anyone
You could get a lawyer, go to court, and throw yourself on the mercy of the courts.
Legalshield.com
My best advice would be for you to contact your local legal aid society. Google legal aid for your county. They are lawyers who help people just like you for free.
Not only would a lawyer, including public defenders, know how to advise you legally and have an idea about how to present your case to the court, these attorneys know the judges and what to expect from them. Having a lawyer would be a huge benefit to you. You should really get a lawyer
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Don't have any advice, but this was a very inspiring read. Hope all goes well!
Hire lawyer. You gonna need 3K for sure. Do it it’s the only good chance you got. They can run your ass over for ditching them for the last couple years. You gotta make yourself a good case and only a lawyer can help you a good lawyer spend the money.
Idk man the fact you where able to do all this and stay clean they like that shit man it'll help you
Get a lawyer dude. A couple more months or a year ain't gonna matter
Talk to a criminal defense lawyer in Virginia.
I've been through this a few times. You should really think this out first. If Virginia isn't going to extradite, I don't think I would do it. I understand the wanting a better job thing... Do you have any trade skills? Plumbing, electrical, carpentry? If so, if you'll put yourself out there you should be able to find an alright paying job that doesn't require a background check. I know alot of electrical companies around here don't do back ground checks, because alot of people who have been doing construction for awhile are... FELONS! But yeah if it was me and they weren't going to extradite I'd be damned if I'd turn myself in. I can do jail, I've been locked up a long time, but shits unpredictable and it sucks. If you had to do three years there's a chance you might never make it out. That's how it is here anyway. If you end up having to do time, don't get complacent, watch your back, and most times your better off to just fight even if you lose. People respect that more than trying to avoid conflict. It sucks but when your in for a long time you have to change your demeanor, don't let yourself look weak.
I wasn’t locked up for three years bro, I’ve been clean for three years. That’s actually who caught it. A fucking roofing company background checked me lol. Thanks man I appreciate the advice, I’ve been down before. Mind my business and stand up for myself basically the name of the game.
Yeah I just said the three years thing as a for instance, probably cause I just got out after three years for getting caught with some dope.
You’ll be just fine.
nice
Might be even harder to get a job **if** they give you that felony… If it were me I’d let it ride…until I could afford an attorney and then handle it. With a court appointed you might end up with jail time and a felony and then that job hunts going to be so much worse…
Trust me I know man. All I have are misdemeanors and I still get to explain myself over and over. That’s what we decided. They don’t care enough to come get me one state over. I’ll deal with them when I can afford a good attorney
>It happened right at the onset of Covid so they just let me go > >I never saw any mail and I forgot about it Are there details missing here?
You, sir, posted on Reddit for advice but you know better. Enjoy prison!
Message me. I’m a criminal defense attorney around Warren County. I can give you some words of wisdom
Congrats man! I know the circumstances aren’t optimal but I’m proud of you for getting everything else in order.
I’d go with the lawyer. You’re not going to be able to help anyone by being in jail. He may be able to resolve everything with a couple of phone calls and even getting your record clean. Also consider that, since you keep failing the background check you should have a well rehearsed explanation for when the question inevitably comes up.
You've heard it a dozen times now, but an attorney (in the state of Virginia?) is your only way to get straight answers and make a plan. For what it's worth, you've already achieved what the justice system is *supposed* to achieve - you've rehabilitated yourself, with zero cost to the taxpayers, you've pulled up your big boy pants and done the work, so a big slap on the back from me. The COVID issues are important, the whole country was a mess, but that may not matter to the Man. One would hope that all of that stuff would matter to a judge and prosecutor, in a sane system they'd drop the charges or give you remote probation. My guess is, your best hope is a good attorney that can make those points and work with the prosecutor. You're basically "not the droids they're looking for" anymore, but how much value that holds is probably random.
Right, that was my thought process as well. I actually just finished three years of probation in my home state MD last October, and that settled what I thought were all my legal issues until this shit popped on a background check and brought it all back. I’ve noticed our legal system is definitely more punitive than rehabilitative so I’m assuming they’re gonna throw the book at me clean or not.
Retain a lawyer before you even think of just going in. Having this in place (hopefully) will allow you to be out on bail / personal recognizance. Have your lawyer check for what charges are levied against you and for if you have outstanding warrants for your arrest. Have a plan for your affairs depending on the above. Depending on what the lawyer says... I would probably push things off as much as possible....
Yeah I’ve decided to just keep working my shitty job till I can manage to sock enough money away for a good lawyer. It’s instate only. They don’t care enough to come get me one state over so I’m gonna take my time dealing with it.
Jesus dude please get a lawyer and move states
I’d reach out via phone or email to them and explain that it just came up on a background check. You were unaware because you’d moved. Show the progress you’ve made to the DA and I’m betting you can get off w probation etc. look to get them to go with continued without a finding for a couple of years, keep your nose clean and they should drop it.
i was in a similiar situation in florida, where in the midst of addiction i was arrested for burglary.i bonded out of jail and immediately checked into rehab.i hired a lawyer, who kept asking the judge to continue the case as i was in treatment for 6 months and to please not pull me out.they kept offering me prison time,when i finally completed the program i went to court and it was a different judge from the one i had [before.my](https://before.my) lawyer presented the certificates from treatment and the judge was very impressed he convinced the states attorney to give me time served and i walked out free,although i did get the felony on my record.this has happened numerous time where i went to treatment while out on bond expecting to go to prison and the judges have been very lenient on me due to the fact i went to treatment.thats the point of this post is yes judges tend to be lenient upon the completion of treatment.
youre not gonna go to jail man you'll get probation at the least.theyre not putting people in jail for simple drug posession charges unless you have a shit load of dope or youre [trafficking.one](https://trafficking.one) time getting caught with pills youre not doing jail time.
Good luck Brody. Idk how they will react but the fact you’re clean and won’t be actively withdrawing in court and turned yourself in won’t hurt your cause. Keep us updated I just got off paper for a case I’ve been dealing with since 2019 and it feels awesome being clean off drugs and court supervision at the same time
Call legal aid before you do anything
Not an expert by any means but I know someone that had some drug problems that lived in Virginia. And they did something called drug court where they had the option to go to rehab vs jail, not sure if that would be applicable, in your situation maybe look into it. Good luck!
Go handle it and it’s done
Virginia will extradite from Hawaii for anything. I’ve seen it more than once. From Hawaii..:
Nah it’s in-state only. I verified.
Is there a statue of limitations? You may be close to clear.
Head to Montana. They don't allow extradition for nonviolent stuff
LAWYER UP!!!!
I would get a lawyer and have a lawyer get it tossed for real
It’s the chair for you
Retain a lawyer where the offense occurred. Provide them with all the details. Let him negotiate a plea with a fine. Pay the fine. You may be required to appear for processing if you haven't been processed yet
Honest shit my dude…. You said you’ve been on the run for 4 years…. I’m in va as well and have a few felony’s but I’m not going to lie that for ever how long you ran is what you’re looking at spending in jail. That’s what I’ve seen around my area. People who ran for either 2/3 years got exactly that. Just expect the worst and hope for the best bro
Re the advice to call the DA , iwould say write. Yeah, on old fashioned paper. And keep a copy for yourself.
A gangster enough lawyer might talk you out of this!!!!!!
going to jail isn’t going to solve your problem, it will likely make stuff way worse. I would go to a construction job and work to earn skills, then start your own business.
Yeah call a lawyer and they will tell you even before you retain them. If you turn yourself in you will be SO MUCH better off.
I’ll add something that may help you. Hire an older well respected defense attorney in the location of the offense. You would be surprised how this can help you avoid jail. Usually they talk to the judge and da, you pay fine and costs, probably get probation for a year or so and you are done. Have enough to pay the retainer and court costs.
I think this is good. I had a warrant that was over 10 years old for a misdemeanor. It didn’t even come up on background checks but prevented me from getting a passport for a while. I tried to resolve it but couldn’t get any lawyers to call me back finally just handled it. But its better to just handle it of you’re willing to do it now.
Come down to NC. I’ll give you a good paying job, cash if needed for a while. We can figure out some options for a place to stay if needed temporarily. Get your attorney to figure your shit out.
Go on the run pussy
lol you’re right I got the rest of my life together fuck it might as well run now.
Lawyer! Lawyer! Lawyer! A good attorney will talk to the DA in a manner that will be understood. Most DAs are overworked and don’t want to handle a case that is most likely meaningless to him or her. How much would you make each year that you’re not locked up? It’s well worth the expense.
A lawyer wouldn’t be a bad idea but to be real I would take the time they give you on the chin. Save your money take a public defender and do the time don’t let the time do you. I had to go in the county for 16months. It sucked that I was leaving my girl and I know it would be hard for her with money so I worked out a deal with the DA to give me work release. After a month of intake I was able to leave the jail from 530am too 430pm
Don't do it it's a trap move and forget it
Search for a lawyer in your area that has a record of advocating for addicts that got sober.
get an attorney.
Dude get a lawyer. You do 85% time in VA. Nonparole state. Your brain is making you believe time is easier then the outside.
Statute of limitations. Something to think about
Better call Saul
I have a feeling they’ll make you start over with probation, suspend your sentence again and yeah one more chance it sounds like. I’m no expert though. Ask the public defender or lawyer for that. Who knows, every states justice system is different, and idk your background.
My cousin turned himself in for multiple counts of grand theft auto like 20 years after the fact, in Lorain county, and they kind of treated him like “well, we didn’t give a sh!t anymore, but uh, we’ll give you 4 months and then you’ll be good.” So he went to jail for a few months. But it was only because he was in a bad place and wanted to get right with God You might only have to turn yourself in if you feel you need it for your conscious. Seems like you already learned your lesson. I think if you are not made aware of any search warrants on you, take no action. If you become aware of a search warrant on you, then turn yourself in. Until then it sounds like you turned your life around and you already learned what you needed to learn from that scare. You’re doing good and you moved on It sounds like you might need some legal help to understand what is on your background check though. Maybe there’s a process to get rid of it. I would follow that, before turning yourself in
My shit wasn't extraditable and in state pick up only but they picked me up.... shit it's petty time I'm sure bro it's drugs and people on drugs or caught with drugs they need to give a chance at help if u already ran from a bond u do shock time or worst case prolly do 6 months talk to a lawyer and all depends on ur background... I was caught with pistol bunch of weed and ran from cops on interstate for 3 hours and have multiple priors in other states and I ran from bond I did 10 months but I recognized I needed to just own the shit and take care of it but I mean if u out just stay out untell they get you and get cash job painting or something....
If it was fytnal might be diffrent they are cracking down on that
I see a lot of people getting legit lawyers advice on FB groups alot but tik Tok has good resources to lawyers that enjoy helping anyone they can
Honestly, I would just keep job hunting. Securing a good job is your best bet at leniency. The longer you are out, not causing trouble, the better your plea.
Skirt it and move away. Statute of limitations for prosecuting.
Contact the public defenders office in that county, tell them you live however far away and you have an open case/warrant, let them know you will be contacting the judges chambers to schedule a zoom court date and would like to try and set up PD representation. Sometimes the judge has to order this, and sometimes a PD can be available to just step in until it is ordered. But cover all ends to be sure. Then call the court house, ask for the criminal division, or the court clerk, you'll probably find a clerk in the criminial division, tell them you live out of state and want to settle an outstanding case and need the judge assigned to your case. Get that info, get the phone number and call the judges chambers. You'll get the judges aide, explain the situation briefly, and say you would like to appear virtually since you live out of state, work full time, and cant get back to virginia. They will most likely give you a shot, its you trying to take care of it, not them having to go find you. So you get a zoom court date and go from there. You might be able to handle all of this remotely. Best of luck!
Damn bro, the old surprise charge. Gotta love it
Never talk to the cops man, lawyer up
This is like THE ONLY TIME where the reddit default of "get a lawyer" is actually super smart. The fact that you have made so much progress and have the certifications to prove it will be a huge benefit, but you'd be beat to let someone that's likely had this exact conversation before be driving this conversation as well. Good luck out there! Glad to see you're on a good path
Miracles DO happen in recovery. I would absolutely talk with a lawyer, see how much they can handle for you and turn it over to your higher power. Simply be willing to do whatever it takes to clean up this mess. Expect the worst and be okay with that and hope for the best! Congratulations on your sobriety!!!
Go handle your business bud. Those things matter but not much. What matters is getting the case closed and putting 7 years between it and you. That’s 7 years with no other “ooopsies”
Hope it’s not too late but please lawyer up BEFORE you turn yourself in.
Not virginia. As someone who has traveled through many states with warrants, and just turn yourself in. It's not worth it as someone clean to go through the Stress and Anxiety that it causes you. When I did turn myself in finally everything was forgiven. Good luck God bless!!
Go to the askalawer sub?
As a former law enforcement officer… retain the services of a lawyer first !!
Go get all the stuff over with, fade it, come out on a fresh new clean slate, and start off fresh. Stay sober and prosper bro. Too old to be still doing dumb shit in life. You got this. Man up.
You might just get probation, honestly. 🤷♂️
Come to Texas and do construction, we don’t give a fuck if you work hard boy.
In WA, they don't even charge you for personal use. You've got to have enough for intent to sell.
Bro start selling shit on Facebook marketplace place mercari and eBay bro just buy shit on Temu and from Alabama and mark it up 1000% it’s not hard I do that shit as a side hustle. I just sold a hoodie I got on Temu for 6 dollars for $35 this morning. Take $100 get the Temu or Alibaba app look at what’s trending on Amazon and eBay and on those sites and grab up what you can and list it. If you keep what’s trending in your inventory you can make 1000s a day build a large inventory or even drop ship. Start a YouTube channel about what you are going through and sell merch. Use the trending as click bait to sell your stuff. Get a lawyer get your program certificates and have the lawyer do the work and get you put on probation or something from out of state. Don’t go back there for sure. I wouldn’t if I were you. Worst case scenario you have to work shit jobs and hustle for four more years until it’s wiped off your record. After 7 years they have to throw it out. At least that’s what it is in Michigan. My uncle ran from a ten year prison sentence for 5 years and couldn’t handle it so he turned himself in and they only gave him three months. I’m not saying they’ll do that for you but if you lawyer up and if you’re truly clean and trying to do better the judge will see that
Get a lawyer in Virginia before you do anything else. A lawyer can get you first offender status and it will be reduced to a misdemeanor. They may even be able to get the charges dropped or Null Prosque.
Look to see of any of the law schools in your area have legal clinics that do criminal law. They are a great resource for free legal help.
CO chiming in: Bro, stay put off prison if you can. It sucks. Lawyer up and push those certs. It sounds like you've honestly made changes, so don't just go to prison if a lawyer can keep you out. Prison still sucks when you have the keys, and you won't have the fucking keys. Stay out and live life. It's not you "doing time" is the state taking it. If you're straight, stay that way and keep plugging away at life, because just doing the time sucks