Attorney Ryan W. McAllister recently represented a young college student in Berks County who was charged with Retail Theft under 18 Pa.C.S.A. 3929. Since this was a “first offense” and the dollar value of the items allegedly taken was small, our client was issued a summary citation. This meant that our client had to fight her case at the district court level. Although our client was only looking several hundred dollars in fines and court costs if convicted, she was very worried about having a conviction for Retail Theft on her “record.inflatable toys canada
After meeting with our client, Attorney McAllister advised her to enter a “not guilty” plea at the court, and the case was then set for a hearing. On the day of the hearing, Attorney McAllister was able to negotiate an agreement with the police officer on the case and the representative from Wal-Mart. Our client was to complete a one (1) day course related to the societal costs of Retail Theft, and, upon successful completion of the class, the charges against our client would be dismissed under the terms of an ARD (first-time offender) program.
After our client completed the class and the charges were dismissed pursuant to ARD, Attorney McAllister proceeded to file an expungement on behalf of our client. This will ensure that our client’s record remains as “clean” as possible, and this unfortunate incident will not negatively impact her future as she graduates college and begins her career. Our client was very happy with the outcome of her case.
If you or someone you know is charged with Retail Theft in Berks County or Reading, Pennsylvania, please contact us right away at 610-372-5128. One of our experienced and dedicated attorneys will be happy to sit down with you and discuss your case in detail. Our initial consultations are always free in criminal, DUI, and traffic cases. We look forward to helping you.