UCONN Fake ID Laws
It is easier than ever for UCONN students to obtain fake IDs. There are hundreds of fake ID websites that provide high-quality fake IDs to UConn and Connecticut college and high school students. These IDs will pass scanning and black light verification systems. Sometimes Connecticut college students think that just because fake IDs are sold online, then it is legal and not against the law. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
When a UConn student is arrested for having a fake ID—even if they did not use it—they may still face charges for a felony offense. UCONN fake ID laws are serious which is why if you are facing charges involving a false identification card or similar document, it is important to protect your legal rights.
When you talk to a qualified fake ID criminal lawyer, you can learn about the charges, the impact an arrest can have on your academic transcripts, and your options for fighting the fake ID/forgery charge. The sooner you act, the better your chances of avoiding long-term consequences that undermine all the time, hard work, and money you invested in your college education.
How Does the Law Treat a Fake ID?
Under Connecticut law, possessing a fake ID can be charged as forgery in the second or third degrees. Connecticut criminal code CGS 53a-139 prohibits people from fraudulently creating or altering any document that is intended to be accepted as a “written instrument officially issued or created by a public office, public servant or governmental instrumentality.”
But while it may not surprise UCONN students to know that the law considers it a serious forgery crime to make a fake ID, they may be unpleasantly surprised to learn that the law also considers the acts of using or even merely possessing a fake ID at UConn to be a forgery in the second degree under CGS 53a-139.
What Happens if I Get Arrested for Having a Fake ID at UConn?
As the best lawyers can explain, creating, altering, using, or possessing a fake ID purporting to be from an official government agent is a Class D felony in Connecticut. Any students found in violation of UCONN fake ID laws faces up to 5 years in prison, a permanent criminal record, probation, and a fine of up to $5,000.
In addition, an arrest for forgery becomes a matter of public record visible to potential employers, landlords, lenders, and family and friends.
How Can Police Charge a Person for Fake ID?
Even though a student may not show a fake ID when entering a bar or even though they did not hand it over to UConn police when asked for identification, UConn police may still find the ID in a purse or wallet and arrest the student for forgery second degree.
As many UConn fake ID attorneys understand, if the police spot the fake ID in a student’s wallet or find it when looking through a car during a traffic stop, then police can seize the fake ID. Students are often unaware that if an officer asks to search a vehicle or look through backpacks, purses or wallets, they generally have the right to deny the request.
Police generally need probable cause to conduct a search (with some limited exceptions). However, UConn police who are investigating a crime may be intimidating to students, and they may feel they have to consent to the search. If police obtain evidence of a crime as part of an illegal search, then that evidence can be suppressed in court.
How a UConn Fake ID Attorney Can Help
Facing charges for any violations of UCONN fake ID laws a serious offense in Connecticut and the consequences can be severe. To protect your legal rights and minimize any potential damage, contact a UConn fake ID attorney as soon as possible if you are facing charges connected with any form of fake identification or Connecticut forgery charge.
Skilled defense attorneys with experience in handling fake ID cases will know the best defensive strategy for the circumstances of your case and will advocate on your behalf to seek the best possible outcome.