State College Fake ID Attorney

State College criminal defense lawyer Jason S. Dunkle has represented many Penn State students and visitors that got into legal trouble for providing false information to the police.  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 Violatons 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 charge of False Identification to Law Enforcement under 18 Pa.C.S. 4914.

Fake ID – Crime Involving Dishonesty

In either situation, fake ID charges are considered crimen falsi offenses, meaning that they are crimes which involve elements of 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. While many employers are willing to consider people for employment who have criminal records for relatively common offenses such as DUI, misdemeanor Possession of Marijuana, and furnishing alcohol to minors, many employers are not willing to hire a person who has a crimen falsi conviction.

Many Penn State students and their parents incorrectly believe that a college town would be lenient or be somewhat accepting of relatively minor offenses like underage drinking and possession of false identification cards in State College. Regrettably, people find out the hard way that the State College area is anything but lenient on fake ID cases.

Caught Using A Fake ID? Call Us For a Free Initial Consultation

If the person is convicted, the court will impose a sentence that could include fines and probation. Also, as noted above, a criminal record can impair a person’s ability to be employed in the future. If you or a loved one has been charged with a fake ID offense, contact State College criminal defense attorney Jason S. Dunkle for a free consultation at (814) 689-9139 or email us now.