10 year old warrant.... Can it be cleared w/o jail?

[cyberfreak95]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? Florida

So 10 years ago I broke into a store that was closed and took money. I was charged with 2 felonies, grand theft and burglary of a structure. I went into a deferral program where I was supposed to do 80 hours of community service and pay a $600 fine.

Well, I decided to leave the state instead and since I didn't comply with the deferral program they put a warrant out for my arrest. I called the PD in Alachua county (where the offence was committed) and they said they couldn't do anything for me and all I could do was to turn myself in.

Well, I have a family, a job, and a nice life - I am certainly not going to fly back to Florida so they can arrest me and put me in jail.

Is there any way I can get this cleared up or will I just have to avoid Florida forever?

Thanks!

 

[Obnoxious1]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? Florida

So 10 years ago I broke into a store that was closed and took money. I was charged with 2 felonies, grand theft and burglary of a structure. I went into a deferral program where I was supposed to do 80 hours of community service and pay a $600 fine.

Well, I decided to leave the state instead and since I didn't comply with the deferral program they put a warrant out for my arrest. I called the PD in Alachua county (where the offence was committed) and they said they couldn't do anything for me and all I could do was to turn myself in.

Well, I have a family, a job, and a nice life - I am certainly not going to fly back to Florida so they can arrest me and put me in jail.

Is there any way I can get this cleared up or will I just have to avoid Florida forever?

Thanks!

I'm not seeing a whole heck of a lot of 'nice life' going on. You committed a crime; you owe a debt to society. Why do you think you should be given a get out of jail free card?

 

[cyberfreak95]

Forgot the point of justice????

I pay more money in taxes for every paycheck I get then most people make in a MONTH! Trust me, I have repaid my debt. Plus isn't the legal system supposed to rehabilitate people and make them productive members of society? You make it sound like it is for vengeance and nothing else.

I am not a career criminal or a repeat offender. I made a mistake 10 years ago and I feel bad, but throwing away my job, house, and family to fly back to Florida and have them arrest me will not happen.

 

[seniorjudge]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? Florida

So 10 years ago I broke into a store that was closed and took money. I was charged with 2 felonies, grand theft and burglary of a structure. I went into a deferral program where I was supposed to do 80 hours of community service and pay a $600 fine.

Well, I decided to leave the state instead and since I didn't comply with the deferral program they put a warrant out for my arrest. I called the PD in Alachua county (where the offence was committed) and they said they couldn't do anything for me and all I could do was to turn myself in.

Well, I have a family, a job, and a nice life - I am certainly not going to fly back to Florida so they can arrest me and put me in jail.

Is there any way I can get this cleared up or will I just have to avoid Florida forever?

Thanks!

There is probably a nationwide warrant issued for these felonies.

Next time you get stopped, you may be heading for Florida at the taxpayer's expense.

My advice: surrender.

 

[Magistrate]

Pay the money I say

Okay, well, please everyone, tell me if I am wrong on this, but what "I" would do...

A. PAY LOTS, AND LOTS, PREFERABBLY WHAT YOU HAVE TO PAY NOW TO FLORIDA AND SO FORTH!

OR

B. Turn myself in and hope for the best.

HOWEVER YOU SHOULD REALLY, REALLY PAY FOR IT, IF YOU PAY, WITH CASH, MONEY, WHATEVER, YOU CAN STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO GET OUT OF IT!

 

[cyberfreak95]

There is probably a nationwide warrant issued for these felonies.

Next time you get stopped, you may be heading for Florida at the taxpayer's expense.

My advice: surrender.

There is a warrant out, and every time I get pulled over the police officer kindly tells me "You have a warrant for your arrest in FL, you should really get that taken care of".

Florida obviously does not want to extradite me, but from the way they casually said it they made it sound like I could fill out a form, pay some money, and all would be better.

I know I did a bad thing 10 years ago, and to this point all I have seen is conjecture. Does anyone actually KNOW the law in FL?

They were initially going to let me go with some community service and a fine but being the dumb kid I was I thought it would be better to leave. I really don't see how justice would be served by throwing a hard working tax payer in jail, instead of allowing me to clear it up through other means.

Plus, if I just stay away from FL I will be fine - but I am trying to find out how I can get this fixed without throwing my life away.

I figure if I just get a high priced lawyer they can probably take care of it for me, but I though if it was as simple as a fine I could do it myself.

 

[cyberfreak95]

Okay, well, please everyone, tell me if I am wrong on this, but what "I" would do...

A. PAY LOTS, AND LOTS, PREFERABBLY WHAT YOU HAVE TO PAY NOW TO FLORIDA AND SO FORTH!

OR

B. Turn myself in and hope for the best.

HOWEVER YOU SHOULD REALLY, REALLY PAY FOR IT, IF YOU PAY, WITH CASH, MONEY, WHATEVER, YOU CAN STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO GET OUT OF IT!

Well, I would love to pay the money but I don't think that's an option for me right now.

Anyone have any idea who I could talk to about paying the fines? I don't think I can just call the courthouse and ask where to send the check.

 

[Magistrate]

Joke

Oregon, United States.

Well, my "troubled friend", you could always move to Mexico, Canada, or somewhere foreign!

I apologize, that was supposed to be a joke..., or was I serious, the world may never know.

Anywho, yeah, I apologize, it was supposed to be a joke. But, seriously, pay the fines, I do not know where, or how, but pay them, please! For the love of all things positive, please pay them! For A. It would do you much good, as seeing how you described your current life...more or less. AND B. Us taxpayers don't have to pay more money, like .34% or something annually..., on people like you, ha ha, no offense, only joking, I apologize, another joke. I apologize, I have problems of my own. Anywho, I hope some of what we all said here helped you.

 

[seniorjudge]

There is a warrant out, and every time I get pulled over the police officer kindly tells me "You have a warrant for your arrest in FL, you should really get that taken care of".

Florida obviously does not want to extradite me, but from the way they casually said it they made it sound like I could fill out a form, pay some money, and all would be better.

I know I did a bad thing 10 years ago, and to this point all I have seen is conjecture. Does anyone actually KNOW the law in FL?

They were initially going to let me go with some community service and a fine but being the dumb kid I was I thought it would be better to leave. I really don't see how justice would be served by throwing a hard working tax payer in jail, instead of allowing me to clear it up through other means.

Plus, if I just stay away from FL I will be fine - but I am trying to find out how I can get this fixed without throwing my life away.

I figure if I just get a high priced lawyer they can probably take care of it for me, but I though if it was as simple as a fine I could do it myself.

I know I did a bad thing 10 years ago, and to this point all I have seen is conjecture. Does anyone actually KNOW the law in FL?

A lot of this stuff is discretionary with the authorities, so anyone would have to be guessing if they gave you an answer.

 

[vivarantthang]

Google it. Look up the statue of limitations on what ever you were convicted of and it will let you know if the warrant has expired or not. Or go to a law library and they will help you find books on Florida Law. Most of the time you can call Florida and ask them if you still have a warrant out for your arrest, (maybe from a payphone) and ask them what do you need to do to rectify it, they will tell you. But it is mostly up to the officers what they decide to do.

 

[cyberfreak95]

Google it. Look up the statue of limitations on what ever you were convicted of and it will let you know if the warrant has expired or not. Or go to a law library and they will help you find books on Florida Law. Most of the time you can call Florida and ask them if you still have a warrant out for your arrest, (maybe from a payphone) and ask them what do you need to do to rectify it, they will tell you. But it is mostly up to the officers what they decide to do.

Yea, I took a look at that but there's this thing called "tolling" which basically means that the clock stops ticking if you leave the state and cannot prove residence there.

The only thing I think I could do to use the statue of limitations is move there and get a job - hope the cops don't find me for three years and then the statue would kick in.

I was hoping that I could just write them a check and all would be forgiven

 

[vivarantthang]

I hope it works out for you, you sound like you want to rectify this but without disrupting your new life. You will know what to do when the time is right. Somehow I think Florida has bigger fish to fry though these days with all of these damn pedifiles kidnapping and killing children down there, and since these are felons walking around who have commited hanous crimes to children before, they are walking around scott free supposing to be on parole. It's a real shame. With that said, you may only get a slap on the wrist! But Good luck anyhow.

 

[Obnoxious1]

I pay more money in taxes for every paycheck I get then most people make in a MONTH! Trust me, I have repaid my debt. Plus isn't the legal system supposed to rehabilitate people and make them productive members of society? You make it sound like it is for vengeance and nothing else.

I am not a career criminal or a repeat offender. I made a mistake 10 years ago and I feel bad, but throwing away my job, house, and family to fly back to Florida and have them arrest me will not happen.

Paying high taxes is not an excuse and it wasn't a mistake, it was an intentional. No one breaks into stores by mistake.

You were given a very light punishment and you decided you should not have to so you just left. Again, that wasn't a mistake it was an intentional act.

What makes you think that criminals should be the ones to decide when a punishment should be carried out? You say that you are not a career criminal but for the last ten years you have been running from justice which is a crime.

 

[cyberfreak95]

Life is not always black and white.....

Paying high taxes is not an excuse and it wasn't a mistake, it was an intentional. No one breaks into stores by mistake.

You were given a very light punishment and you decided you should not have to so you just left. Again, that wasn't a mistake it was an intentional act.

What makes you think that criminals should be the ones to decide when a punishment should be carried out? You say that you are not a career criminal but for the last ten years you have been running from justice which is a crime.

Well, obviously you have never made a single bad decision in your life, probably having grown up in some nice suburban town, your mommy and daddy purchased everything you needed to become what you are today (whatever THAT IS), and worrying about things like "will I eat today?", "I have to go to the gas station to wash up because we don't have water OR electricity" or "will my parents beat and molest me today?". Well some of us had no choice but to grow up in those environments. I did anything and everything I could to get away from that and after I was away I realized that my life didn't have to be that way. Well, to a kid with no money and no home $600 and 80 hours of community service was about the same as a million bucks - unattainable.

So I left and built an honest life instead of just breaking into places for the rest of my life.

So let's look at some numbers now - last year I paid $26,562 in income taxes and about $3,000 in property taxes. Last I heard it costs taxpayers about 12-$15,000 a year to keep someone in jail. No matter how you look at it the tax payers loose.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion 100%, but just remember life is not as black and white as you portray. There are always variables that have to be considered.

 

[Obnoxious1]

Well, obviously you have never made a single bad decision in your life, probably having grown up in some nice suburban town, your mommy and daddy purchased everything you needed to become what you are today (whatever THAT IS), and worrying about things like "will I eat today?", "I have to go to the gas station to wash up because we don't have water OR electricity" or "will my parents beat and molest me today?". Well some of us had no choice but to grow up in those environments. I did anything and everything I could to get away from that and after I was away I realized that my life didn't have to be that way. Well, to a kid with no money and no home $600 and 80 hours of community service was about the same as a million bucks - unattainable.

So I left and built an honest life instead of just breaking into places for the rest of my life.

So let's look at some numbers now - last year I paid $26,562 in income taxes and about $3,000 in property taxes. Last I heard it costs taxpayers about 12-$15,000 a year to keep someone in jail. No matter how you look at it the tax payers loose.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion 100%, but just remember life is not as black and white as you portray. There are always variables that have to be considered.

You are correct that life is not black and white. Everything you posted after that is none of your business.

The debt you owe for taxes is not the debt you owe society for your crime. You would owe the tax debt no matter your criminal history

The whole 'mistake' thing is a crop of crap. It's good that you have gotten your life together especially after a rough start but a rough start is not an excuse and running is never a solution. Doing better for yourself now does not undo what you have already done.

You can't blame me for the way your life has gone I have never contributed anything to your misery or your bad choices. If you want the respect that you are working to achieve then take what you have coming and get it over with.