Charges for faking missing person note

[doubleBOB]

What is the name of your state? Texas

One of my friends wrote on a CD about a missing person saying they're staying at a house and wrote a liscense plate number of a nearby car on it. He signed the name of a real missing person on it and someone found it. The police arrived at the house the next day asking about it. He doesn't live here, so they were not able to talk to him immediatly. What charges if any could he face?

Also, we are 16 years old. The police did not seem mad about the whole ordeal, they just left. I do not know his address and he has not heard from them. What should we expect from the Texas law?

 

[outonbail]

What is the name of your state? Texas

One of my friends wrote on a CD about a missing person saying they're staying at a house and wrote a liscense plate number of a nearby car on it. He signed the name of a real missing person on it and someone found it. The police arrived at the house the next day asking about it. He doesn't live here, so they were not able to talk to him immediatly. What charges if any could he face?

Also, we are 16 years old. The police did not seem mad about the whole ordeal, they just left. I do not know his address and he has not heard from them. What should we expect from the Texas law?

What do you mean, what should "we" expect, do you have more involvement in this completely asinine, insensitive, false hope type of goose chase stunt, which could create a potentially lethal situation for innocent people?

Now I've heard of some pretty stupid stunts in my time, but this has got to take the cake hands down! I'm absolutely stunned, what could you two idiots have possibly been thinking?

 

[quincy]

doubleBob -

Your friend might get lucky and the police may simply write the whole incident off as a stupid kid prank, but if they had to spend much time investigating the note, they are probably not real amused.

I am not exactly sure what the police would consider a report of a missing person written on a CD with a driver's plate number on it - perhaps criminal mischief or possibly a false police report? Either of these are considered Class B misdemeanors in Texas and currently the penalties for a Class B misdemeanor would be up to 180 days in jail and/or a maximum fine of $2000. Generally what the Texas police will do after charging someone with a Class B misdemeanor is arrest the person and place the person in county jail until the person can be brought before the magistrate for sentencing. As of September 1, however, the law is scheduled to change (due to overcrowding in Texas jails) and the police will then have the option of writing a citation instead of arresting the person, and the police will issue a summons with a date to appear before the court. This applies, by the way, to kids as well as adults.

What your friend thought was funny is not really so funny afterall, is it?