Q: What are my options for being charged with misdemeanor theft?
My old boss fired me in March 2020 for using Rakuten (rewards website) to get points and coupons when ordering everything for the office. No money was ever taken from her directly. I was unaware that it was unlawful to use unused benefits. Now I have a court date for being charged with a misdemeanor theft which is going to ruin my new career. I will never be able to get a job that requires a license or has a background check over $55 of benefits. My old boss is being very rude and has been through this whole thing and likes to flaunt that she has lots of money and able to do whatever she wants. I just want this charge not on my record. I will pay extra or take something else in place of it. I don't know what I can do!
A: Your best option is to contact a criminal defense attorney and have them assist you. I have handled these cases before and successfully avoided a criminal conviction. There are several options for doing so.
1 user found this answer helpful
A: There are many different things that a criminal defense attorney like me can do. For the defendant, the real question is much more simple: "Will I retain a criminal defense attorney, or not?" Every week people call me about serious problems they are having because they were "young, and didn't get a lawyer to represent" them. Of course, they regret it. What can easily be avoided is difficult to fix, once broken. It sounds like you already know that the real penalty is the public criminal record and "thief" label. It's worth hiring a lawyer to avoid that. That's the best option.
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