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Turning myself in on 8 yr old warrants (long, sorry I'm SO SCARED)

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BangAGong

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? MA

I have some unpleasant old business hanging over my head. I would love to clear it up once and for all, but I am so afraid of going to jail (even just for the few days that it would take to resolve it all) that I cannot find the courage to turn myself in.

I do not have any funds to hire a decent lawyer who might be able to help get this sorted out less painfully. These warrants could probably be cleared easily if I had access to $1,000 or so to walk in with to pay long outstanding fines, but I just don't have it.

2 warrants - 2 different MA courts.

I have an 8 yr old warrant for susp lic (3rd off). I got lucky and they "filed" and gave me fines (which I had not defaulted on yet at the time of this next arrest...)

The same yr, I got sucked in and tried to be a "call girl" with an agency, was arrested in short order, and put on probation and got a huge fine.

Though I got in no other trouble and could have ended my probation if I could have paid the fines, I did not pay, and before I knew it, I was in default with both courts.

Months later, I set out one Friday to clear it all up. I showed up to the 1st court, and saw the judge (more time to pay), but was then handcuffed and told I was being transported to the other court. Transport never came, it got too late, so they brought to a women's jail 60mi. away and held over a long holiday wkend before I was brought to court. I had no idea this could happen, since I went to court voluntarily, I didn't tell anyone where I was going, and wore a suit with hose and pumps (confiscated - heels can be weapons or ppl hang themselves with stockings?) - so I was terrified, freezing and barefoot for 4 days, with nobody knowing where I was or caring for my pets, etc. (No phone calls since I was being "held" not "arrested") and lost my job for not showing up.

The next court extended my probation to gave me more time to pay, but w/ no job, I couldn't pay and was too afraid to go back in after the last time....so I'm back in the same position and have been for 8 long years.

I turned my life around years ago, have a job and have never been in any trouble since, but I still have this hanging over my head. I know how stupid I was, but I am so afraid to walk into court and have the same thing happen. I know it will be much worse if I get caught and THEY bring me in, but I'm almost paralyzed with fear.

I can't enlist anyone for help, as my horrifying, humiliating secret (prostitution arrest) would be exposed. I really don't have any $$, I am alone and can barely keep a roof over my head.

I just don't know what to do. I want to make this right and resolve it once and for all - and leave this awful part of my past behind me, but I don't know how to avoid jail in the process.

Does anyone have any advice that might help me to make this go better for me? I am truly terrified, and appreciate any support or advice you may have.
 


I just wanted to say I feel for you. That experience in jail must have been traumatic.

If you've made up your mind to deal with it, then you're just going to have to face the consequences. It might not be as bad as you fear. Even if you could afford to hire an attorney now, no attorney is going to advise you to ignore that charges against you.

I'm not sure what the first step should be. Maybe you could try contacting your local public defender office and see if you can have an attorney appointed before you actually turn yourself in.

Here is a document that provides guidance that I think you will find very useful. It's from NY, not MA, but the general principles are the same.

If it were me I wouldn't feel any moral obligation to tell friends the real reason I was having legal problems. I would tell them it was for smoking pot or some other crime that most people don't think is a big deal.

Good luck.
 

Shay-Pari'e

Senior Member
laurathelawyer said:
I just wanted to say I feel for you. That experience in jail must have been traumatic.

If you've made up your mind to deal with it, then you're just going to have to face the consequences. It might not be as bad as you fear. Even if you could afford to hire an attorney now, no attorney is going to advise you to ignore that charges against you.

I'm not sure what the first step should be. Maybe you could try contacting your local public defender office and see if you can have an attorney appointed before you actually turn yourself in.

Here is a document that provides guidance that I think you will find very useful. It's from NY, not MA, but the general principles are the same.

If it were me I wouldn't feel any moral obligation to tell friends the real reason I was having legal problems. I would tell them it was for smoking pot or some other crime that most people don't think is a big deal.

Good luck.
Bravo, Bravo! Golf Clap for the Laurathelawyer!. What real lawyer would ever advise such a thing to this poster?

Yes! Let's tell them it was for smoking pot, or just another crime. That folks, is the sure ringer. :rolleyes:
 

mycarlb

Member
A warrant is forever... you will not outrun it...so you are doing the right thing by turning yourself in. I had a woman that I was helping in Riker's Island Jail in New York and she turned herself in on welfare fraud that she skipped bail on 17 years back. She ran because she was a single mother with 2 small babies and was terrified of going to jail and losing her children to the system. She said her life was hell for those 17 years... looking over her shoulder every day and having to work off the books so she wouldn't be caught. When her daughters became adults... she turned herself in to face whatever consequences may happen. The judge was very impressed by this and only gave her the minimum sentence for such an incredible dollar amount of fraud...we are talking over $75,000... she only received a 2-4 year prison sentence... and that was a felony charge.

You have misdemeanor charges... and I know you don't want to go to jail for even a small amount of time... I mean who does? But to get this off your back once and for all... I would encourage you to do it. You don't have to tell anyone... ask your boss for a personal leave of absence... tell them it is a very sensitive family issue you care not to share, but you must be there for your family member at this time... find out the minimum and maximum time you could face and take the maximum time away from work. this way you are covered in the worst case senario. But I wouldn't worry too much. You are going to be proving to the judge just how different of a person you are now from who that person was back then. And by voluntarily coming to face your past and clear it up... is a big step that anyone can see.

Good luck and please do it soon...
 
Last edited:

Kane

Member
I don't know that there's any easy or painless way to take care of your problem.

Obviously, you should try to obtain the services of a lawyer in Mass., if you can.

Contact the PD's office. They may not be able to help you (since you're a fugitive), but there's no harm in asking.

Find out if there's a bond set on your warrants. If there is, you may be able to stay out of jail (by posting bond) while your cases are pending, perhaps for as little as ten percent (of the bond amount). There may not be bonds, however, since you've already violated promises to appear.

Otherwise, the only option is to turn yourself in. At least that way, you can make arrangements ahead of time, since you know you'll be gone a while.

According to the Mass penal code, prostitution carries up to a year. I don't think you'll get anything near that, but there's no way to know ahead of time.
 
--PARIDISE-- said:
Bravo, Bravo! Golf Clap for the Laurathelawyer!. What real lawyer would ever advise such a thing to this poster?

Yes! Let's tell them it was for smoking pot, or just another crime. That folks, is the sure ringer. :rolleyes:
Do you think there's a law against lying to your friends? If you feel you have some moral obligation to inform everyone you know of every detail of your past, then go ahead, but if you think there's a legal obligation, you're nuts.

Am I going to get an apology for all your attacks and baseless accusations of lying?
 

BelizeBreeze

Senior Member
Kane said:
I don't know that there's any easy or painless way to take care of your problem.

Obviously, you should try to obtain the services of a lawyer in Mass., if you can.

Contact the PD's office. They may not be able to help you (since you're a fugitive), but there's no harm in asking.

Find out if there's a bond set on your warrants. If there is, you may be able to stay out of jail (by posting bond) while your cases are pending, perhaps for as little as ten percent (of the bond amount). There may not be bonds, however, since you've already violated promises to appear.

Otherwise, the only option is to turn yourself in. At least that way, you can make arrangements ahead of time, since you know you'll be gone a while.

According to the Mass penal code, prostitution carries up to a year. I don't think you'll get anything near that, but there's no way to know ahead of time.
Actually, add on to that the warrant time and it may be more than a year.
 

Motherto6

Member
Am I going to get an apology for all your attacks and baseless accusations of lying?


HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA...............................
 

mycarlb

Member
Motherto6 said:
Am I going to get an apology for all your attacks and baseless accusations of lying?


HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA...............................
What the He!! are you talking about?
 

Motherto6

Member
mycarlb ~ I was referring to the post from laurathelawyer. Sorry I forgot to indicate that it was a quote and who it was from.
 
mycarlb said:
Oh...LOL I was very confused... must be in relation to another thread???
In response to the accusation that I am lying about being an attorney, since I have proved my credentials to the board administrators. Not that I'm holding my breath - I haven't gotten the impression that Paridise has that much character.
 

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