Common Quinnipiac Fake ID/Forgery Second-Degree Charges
A fake ID charge or forgery charge is typically initially charged as a felony, and that is when someone essentially possesses with the intent to defraud or deceive a written material given to them by an official government authority. An individual can often attempt to negotiate this down to a misdemeanor charge. Common Quinnipiac fake ID/forgery second-degree charges typically revolve around the possession or distribution of fake IDs. Fake ID charges and arrests are so common on college campuses because the drinking age is 21 and college campuses are full of people that are both over and under 21. The people that are under 21 want to consume alcohol with people who are older and they resort to getting a fake ID in order to make that happen. If an individual has been charged with a fake ID or forgery offense, they should consult an experienced fake ID/forgery attorney that could help.
Severity of Forgery/Fake ID Offenses
A misdemeanor is less serious than a felony but is still a criminal charge. If someone negotiates the charge down to be a misdemeanor, it will carry up to six months in jail and up to a $2,000 fine. Misdemeanor forgery charges are a lot broader and essentially covers anything that is not forgery in the second-degree. Forgery in the second-degree is more for official government documents like IDs or passports. It can also include forgery of wills, deeds and things like that.
Potential Fake ID/Forgery Penalties
The consequences for common Quinnipiac fake ID/forgery second-degree charges vary in severity. If someone is convicted of a misdemeanor fake offense, or forgery in the third-degree, they are subject to six months in jail and a $2,000 fine. The penalties for each count of a felony charge ranges from 1 to 5 years in prison. If someone has five felony charges, they could potentially face 25 years in prison.
How Does Being a Student Affect Forgery or Fake ID Charges?
Students facing charges of forgery fake ID will also have to face any disciplinary action that the university decides to take. It can cause the individual to be kicked off campus, suspended for a semester, or expelled. That student can get in a lot more trouble if it turns out that they were creating and distributing fake IDs because they can also get arrested for identity theft as well as forgery in the second-degree. This still is forgery in the second-degree but if someone is making multiple IDs, they likely would be charged with multiple accounts of forgery in the second-degree.
Value of a Quinnipiac Fake ID/ Forgery Lawyer
A person should look for a student defense lawyer who is experienced, who knows the courthouses and the players in the system such as the judges, staff, and the prosecutors. A charged individual should look for someone who has their best interests in mind, as well. Their attorney should be someone who wants to get the case disposed of in the most advantageous and most cost-efficient way possible. If a student has been charged with a fake ID or forgery offense, and they want to know more about common Quinnipiac fake ID/forgery second-degree charges, they should consult an attorney. A qualified fake ID attorney could pursue a positive outcome for them.