--I DID NOT COMMIT THE FOLLOWING, IT IS A WORK OF FICTION. PLEASE REVIEW IT AND SEE IF I CAN MAKE A BOOK OUT OF IT--

Hello, I'm hoping you can answer a fairly important question for me. First off, this involves a church being robbed, so if your first response is to condemn me to the fires of hell, please don't even respond. I'm in need of help right now, not ridicule.

First off, A friend and I supposedly burgled a church and made off with about $2500 worth of stolen property. On the way out, my friend decided it'd be a good idea to burn it down to cover up the evidence. I didn't know he did this until I read it in the paper (He came back after I left with the goods, he lives fairly close). He admitted it to me after I asked him about it. It didn't burn down, but still caused between $1500 and $2000 in damages.

After the burglary, I held on to the property for a few days, trying to find a buyer. I was able to sell some of the stuff, and I would be unable to retrieve it to make restitution. Then I learned TBI (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation) was involved. Not directly, but evidence had been sent to their crime lab. I got worried and dumped the goods, but told my uncle where he could find them, to sell them. He went to jail shortly after, and turned me in to get out of his charges. He retrieved all the stolen equipment and turned it over to the local detective in charge of the investigation, and told them where they could find me.

Shortly afterwards they showed up at my house. They didn't arrest me, but looked at my shoes (they have shoe prints where the door was kicked in) and brought me in for questioning. I refused to give my fingerprints and vehemently denied all the allegations. They returned soon after to arrest and fingerprint me.

Now, before all this happened, I had contacted a Marine Corps recruiter and was trying to join the Corps. I had failed a drug test for them and was supposed to get clean and come back and pass it. This all happened before I could go back.

The charges are 2 felonies, class C and E. I have the best lawyer in my small town, and I'm set to be arraigned early March. I haven't been charged with the arson, and my attorney sent me a letter saying the police know of at least 1 other person involved, but they don't know who. He believes they may have different fingerprints on the can of gas left at the scene, which was sent to the TBI Crime lab, and that's why I wasn't charged.

My question is this: Is it possible to still join the Corps? I know that they have specific policies barring me from service if I'm released of all charges solely to join the military. Could there be some kind of deal I could work out, in order to still join? I am prepared to make full restitution (monetarily, as I can't retrieve the stolen equipment) for everything stolen, and the damages caused by the fire. Can someone ballpark the fines I'll probably pay?

I understand that what I did is morally reprehensible, and it was an extreme low in my life. I've recently started attending church, and am even considering joining the church in question. I already plan on fessing up to the pastor of the church, and asking him to forgive me. I presented the above in the clearest format possible, just to give you all the facts. Please, don't condemn me. I know I'm already going to hell for what I did.

EDIT: forgot to mention, it's not my first offense. I was arrested at 17 for Marijuana possession and Paraphernalia, but I believe this is hidden as I was a juvenile. Also, I had a warrant for my arrest in a county adjacent to my own, for armed robbery, but the girl who filed the charges admitted to lying to keep from getting in trouble with her mom(she stole her moms debit card and blamed me).

Forget going to the marine, prison boot camp is the closest thing to boot camp you can expect to see.

1. you need to plea bargin out of this, and turn your friend in for a reduced sentence.
2. if they don't find your friend, they will change you for the arson, since they don't have to prove you did it just that it occurred during the crime.

Legally, stop confessing to everyone, and make out a deal though your lawyer. While most likely they would have caught you, telling your uncle was the first large mistake.

You can expect to go to jail, personal opinoin, when you go to trial, make it in front of the judge, not a jury, you would not be popular to a jury.

In TN at 17 you can be tried as a adult , so that is a maybe.

So at this point until you get this case behind you don't think about military.

There was not a foot print on a white door was there?

I'm 19 years old, and was when this happened. My lawyer said I would be going in front of the Grand jury because the local judge doesn't have jurisdiction. I plan on pleading guilty to all the charges. How much time do you think I'll serve? When I was talking to my lawyer's secretary (I haven't met him in person yet), she said, fairly adamantly, that I would not go to prison.

I'm hoping my friend will be caught anyway, regardless of what I do. If they try to get me with the arson I will give him up though. What kind of plea bargain do you expect I'll get?

Also, the police said it was an imprint in the door from kicking it in, not an actual shoe print made by mud or something.

Arson is a crime punishable by prison time. The only person who can give you all the answers you seek here is your attorney. His secretary is not an attorney and should not have advised you as such.
The outstanding warrant must also be addressed by your attorney.

The only person who can help you with the plea bargain is your attorney. Do what the man tells you to do in all cases.

A couple of things.
1. I would probably read it.
2. This should be posted in Arts & leisure... under writing.

Arson is a crime punishable by prison time. The only person who can give you all the answers you seek here is your attorney. His secretary is not an attorney and should not have advised you as such.
The outstanding warrant must also be addressed by your attorney.

The only person who can help you with the plea bargain is your attorney. Do what the man tells you to do in all cases.


Absolutely agree - I'm still working on the details of an armed robbery charge which was (if this is to be believed) a girlfriend using her mother's credit card and blaming this person -?

Agreed - the secretary should NOT be giving legal advice but I'm not sure if this was advice or her opinion. I suspect the answer will come at the time of trial.

And I don't think the Marines want you. They are not a babysitting service. I'd be interested in what X-marines have to say on the subject.

I am not sure bushg, at first the poster did not say it was fiction, they even came back with a follow up answer about the crime.

The part about it being fiction was edited in sometime after the OP gave his response to previous posts. I believe this was a real crime, in fact one I may be aware of, that is why I asked about the foot print on the door in my post before the OP even said anything about it.

So I think fear of being found out may have make them have second thoughts about the post and then decided to try and call it fiction

Oh, got it.

I am not sure bushg, at first the poster did not say it was fiction, they even came back with a follow up answer about the crime.

The part about it being fiction was edited in sometime after the OP gave his response to previous posts. I beleive this was a real crime, in fact one I may be aware of, that is why I asked about the foot print on the door in my post before the OP even said anything about it.

So I think fear of being found out may have make them have second thoughts about the post and then decided to try and call it fiction


Well, it didn't stop him from sending me a stupid private message - so who knows if it's true or not. For someone who is writing fiction he sure has a short temper when questioned!

I've already been arrested for it, and confessed. Can someone just tell me how long I'll be in jail? And Judykaywhatever: You said you'd be interested in hearing what other marines had to say, and I offered this.

I'll let you all know when my book comes out... xD

Zink, as you clearly edited you initial post the time to come clean is now.
If this TRUTH or FICTION.

This is your last possible chance, as the members of AMHD will not assist any further if we think we are being taken advantage of.

In the case I was helping with, very similar, the DA is looking at offering 10 years for a plea bargain, 15 years if it goes to trial and they lose.

My guess their attorney will work it down to5 to 7 years in prision if the guy is lucky.

Thank you, that's all I wanted to know.

I've already been arrested for it, and confessed. Can someone just tell me how long I'll be in jail? And Judykaywhatever: You said you'd be interested in hearing what other marines had to say, and I offered this.

I'll let you all know when my book comes out... xD



Must comment that after I told you not to contact me privately again you gave me a red mark with a "how does this answer my question?", going back several days to do so.

Inappropriate - !

Well, as a writer, I will tell you the following:

The only plot line seems to be "stupid idiot commits multiple felonies, for minimal results and gets caught." Which in and of itself doesn't really sell a book. There is no character development, no cause and effect, no description of other characters except the equally stupid and morally bankrupt girlfriend, partner and uncle. Readers want a protagonist who is likeable, with predominately good, strong characteristics/qualities/morals. They also want to know who the bad guy is, and why he is the bad guy. Should you be serious about this fiction, which I doubt is fiction, you need to come up with a three sentence synopsis and a 300 word synopsis which tells the plot, the outcome and the characters.

As a retired military officer (you did say you were asking for Marines' opinions) -- we wouldn't want the character you describe---the character is too stupid, has minimal redeeming qualities, and can't follow the simple directions of the recruiter.