State College Fake ID Attorney

State College criminal defense lawyer Jason S. Dunkle has been representing Penn State students facing criminal offenses since 2004, including students facing Fake ID charges. Fake ID charges often arise in two scenarios:

  1. The person possesses a fake ID that is either used or intended to be used to purchase alcohol.  The charge is often a summary offense of Carrying a False Identification Card under 18 Pa.C.S. 6310.3, but it could be as severe as a 1st degree misdemeanor of Violations Concerning Licenses under 75 Pa.C.S. 1571(a)(5).
  2. The person is a suspect of criminal activity, the police ask for the person’s identification, and the person lies about his or her identity to the police.  This results in a misdemeanor charge of False Identification to Law Enforcement under 18 Pa.C.S. 4914.

Fake ID – Crime Involving Dishonesty

Fake ID charges are considered crimen falsi offenses, meaning that they are crimes which involve dishonesty, falsehood, and fraud. This means that Fake ID charges are placed in the same category as other crimes involving dishonesty, such as theft, perjury, and forgery. Employers are more likely to overlook criminal records for some relatively common offenses such as DUI, misdemeanor Possession of Marijuana, and furnishing alcohol to minors. Employers may think “I did that too.” But, when it comes to crimen falsi offenses, employers are less likely to overlook the offense because of the dishonesty component. Jobs involving finances and money closely scrutinize such offenses.

Avoiding a Conviction in a Fake ID Case

Because of the negative impact that a conviction of Fake ID can have on a person’s ability to get a job or be professionally licensed, it is important to try and avoid a conviction. With most first time offenders, courts offer diversionary programs such as ARD that allow for the dismissal of charges if the person completes the program’s requirements. The extent of the requirements vary depending upon the severity of the charge. In general, such programs require payment of court costs and completion of community service. A dismissed charge does NOT result in the destruction of the records. In order to have the records destroyed, a person must go through the expungement process.

Caught Using a Fake ID? Contact Us For a Free Initial Consultation

Facing a Fake ID charge and want a free case review, contact JD Law via email or leave a message at (814) 689-9139.