Asked 8/16/17 – Houston, TX

I stole up to 800 dollars in cash from my retail employer over time. I was caught and confessed. I was transparent about what I did and was told to write it down (letter of confession) and signed a form stating I would pay back the money. There were no police called and there was no mention of police involvement, though I am aware this does not mean they may not later be involved. A friend of mine told me that I am a first time offender and while this is not guaranteed and theft is still a very serious crime, there is a possibility that I may be eligible for pretrial intervention. Is this true for a crime committed in Fort Bend County?

Answer

Pretrial diversion is basically a contract between a defendant and the State/District Attorney. It is discretionary with the DA’s office in a given county whether to offer any such diversion programs to a defendant, and the DA can define the terms of the program, including which offenses alleged are eligible and which persons qualify. You cannot force a prosecutor to offer pretrial diversion. Start talking with attorneys in Fort Bend County. Good luck.