What kind of penalty is my girlfriend looking at if she was charged with theft and forgery?

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What kind of penalty is my girlfriend looking at if she was charged with theft and forgery?

My girlfriend is being charged with theft and forgery. The theft amount is about $900. Her ex-mother-in-law gave her permission to use her credit cards to buy things( for the ex-mother-in-law). My girlfriend moved to a new residence and then they filed the charges. And her ex-mother-in-law has most of the items that were bought with the credit card used. Also, the police officer that interviewed my girlfriend is friends with my girlfriend’s ex-husband. What would the penalty be and what can she do to lessen the charges? Should she speak with criminal defense attorney? In Armstrong County, PA.

Asked on November 11, 2010 under Criminal Law, Pennsylvania

Answers:

M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 13 years ago | Contributor

Yes, she should seek help from an attorney in your area as soon as she can.  It sounds a bit like either a mis-communication or a set up from the way that you have phrased the question.  If she had permission to use the card then that leads to a very different outcome but it appears that she may have used the card for things for herself, which was not the original agreement between her and her ex mother in law, correct?  What the penalty will be will depend on what the attorney can work out here as her best deal. Hopefully there will be options for her here and a way to smooth things out. Good luck.


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