What should I do if a police officer just called me and wants me to come in about a credit card I found and spent over $500 on?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What should I do if a police officer just called me and wants me to come in about a credit card I found and spent over $500 on?
Will I be arrested? What will the charge be?
Asked on October 28, 2014 under Criminal Law, Maine
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 10 years ago | Contributor
The charge will some form of theft, since you plainly stole from the credit card holder: if you found the card, you knew that it was not yours; therefore, when you charged on it, you knew you were taking money from someone else--i.e., you were stealing. The precise charge will vary with the surrounding facts, the exact amount charged, etc., but you could be looking at what is commonly known as a "felony"--that is, the potential for more than a year in jail. You will very likely be arresteed if you do not come in voluntarily; however, before doing that, retain an attorney (a criminal defense lawyer) IMMEDIATELY and following his/her advice as to exactly what to do--and do *not* speak to anyone about this before speaking to your lawyer.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.