As a college student in North Carolina, you purchased a fake ID online so that you could drink and purchase alcohol when you went out with friends. You hardly gave it a thought — until you got busted trying to use it to get into a campus bar.
Now what? You’ve never been arrested before and are completely unprepared for the consequences that you might face.
Any arrest is serious when you are a college student with a bright future. Even misdemeanor arrests can close doors to career options you may not even have considered. But just because you were arrested, that does not necessarily mean that you will be convicted. Let’s examine what could happen next.
Most (but not all) arrests for possession of a fake ID occur in conjunction with minor in possession of alcohol charges. Therefore, you could actually be facing more than one charge connected to your use of the fraudulent ID.
North Carolina law G.S. 18B-302(e) states that using fraudulent ID to do any of the below is a Class 1 misdemeanor:
- Enter or attempt to enter a place where alcoholic beverages are sold or consumed
- Obtain or attempt to obtain alcoholic beverages
- Obtain or attempt to obtain permission to purchase alcoholic beverages”
It’s important that you understand that if convicted on the above charge, you face a mandatory one-year revocation of your driver’s license. That inconvenience alone is likely enough to make you determined to fight your charge(s).
Retaining a North Carolina criminal defense attorney who will fight for you can give you the best opportunity to avoid conviction. Sometimes, a defense attorney can approach the prosecutor about a plea bargain where you would be able to avoid a conviction on your record by completing substance abuse counseling or other alternative conditions in lieu of prosecution.
