This year is a special year for our family, my niece is finishing up high
school and will start college in the fall. We couldn't be more proud.
As I think of all the things I want to wish her on her graduation, I am
reminded that I want to implore her to remember that the drinking age
in the state of Florida is still 21. We have all been there. And the temptation to get a
fake ID is very high. Every year both high school students and college students
obtain a fake ID for the purposes of both getting into clubs or bars,
and purchasing alcohol. Beside the possession of alcohol by a minor charge,
the fake ID charge is much more costly. Fake IDs can lead to very serious
charges in the state of Florida. Possession of a fake ID has been deemed
by Florida legislature to be a third degree felony. This means that the
crime of possession of a fake ID is punishable by up to five years in
prison and up to a $5,000 fine. In reality of course, parents reading
this, need to know that your child is not facing prison. But the maximum
punishments on the fake ID charge, give the state a very broad range of
sentencing options.
Please remind your college-bound seniors, that a fake ID isn't worth
it. I get these calls all the time, UNF student was caught in a bar and
mouthed off to the police officer. He is now charged with a fake ID and
resisting without violence. The fake IDs a third-degree felony and the
resisting without violence is a first degree misdemeanor. Once you're
charged with a felony, everything is in Circuit Court, and results with
an arrest showing in public records for your child.
If you do get that late phone call that your child has been arrested for
charge of fake ID, don't panic. Most importantly, you have to figure
out a way to avoid any possible trace of this charge in your child’s
future. There are options. If your child does not have any criminal history,
in most Northeast Florida counties, we can gather enough mitigation, to
qualify your child for a pretrial diversion program. This is a great way
to avoid an actual felony charge of possession of fake ID being brought
against your son or daughter. This would mean the fake ID charge would
be diverted from the criminal justice system, and upon completion of a
contract with the state attorney’s office, the state will drop the
fake ID charge. This outcome would mean that we can then expunge your
child's record, and erase any trace of the arrest.
We're here to help you get through this. Please call our office to speak with one of our criminal defense attorneys, who handle fake ID charges all the time. We can answer your questions, walk you through the process, and help save your child's future.