Congrats on grad school! Having to living on campus is eh... but being a grad student and having to live with a roommate? So lame.

When the rioters took to the streets of London did any of the think how much work they would cause me? No.
Not even one of them?
I thought not.

Inconsiderate gits.

So, at work today, a girl came in to buy cigarettes. She looked just like one of my regular customers who buys smokes(and is of legal age), so I mistook her for this woman and didn't ask for ID. I sold her the cigarettes, and 30 seconds after she walked out the door, an officer from the state department of health comes in and informs me I have just sold tobacco to a minor. He keeps the smokes and money as evidence, takes my name and driver's license #, and talks to my boss, who is less than pleased with me. The officer informed me that he will be turning my info over to the local PD to be handled. Utah state law says I will face a Class C misdemeanor and up to $750 in fines if found guilty. That means jail time of up to 60 days, but I imagine would most likely just be probation if they even choose to levy that punishment on me. This really sucks though because I'm leaving for college on Sunday, and having up to $750 taken from my savings while I can't find a job over there is not going to be good. Also, was planning on making it through life without a criminal record.......

At least this shouldn't up my pending application for a Concealed Firearms Permit, since it's only a misdemeanor and not a felony.

It's a bit of a stretch but...maybe you could argue entrapment?

This is part of a regular 'compliance check' that the State does. 4 times a year an officer will bring a minor to the store and wait in the vehicle(unmarked of course) while he/she goes in and attempts to purchase cigarettes. Obviously you don't know if it's a sting or not, when you do it's too late. They usually bring in kids from just outside the area that wouldn't normally come here so that we don't recognize them. I've always done my best to make sure I ID anybody that I don't know who looks under 30(store policy). I thought this girl was one of my regulars, because of the close resemblance, so I didn't check her ID. I mentioned this to the officer, but he didn't even seem to be listening. I guess it depends on what the local authorities decide to do. I live in a very rural town(3,000 population). I know some of the officers and they know I've never been into any trouble and a lot of adults see me as a more mature, responsible adult. I would like to think I have a pretty decent reputation around here that might be of use to me. I could face 90 days jail time plus up to $750 in fines if I am cited and found guilty. I've read enough cases from the local court to know that most people end up getting probation for much more serious crimes, and they are usually the bottom of the scum barrel, so I may have good chances to either get probation or get off with a harsh warning.

This sucks because I only have 2 more days left at work anyway. I only had to make it 2 more days and I get caught.

EDIT:
I know wikipedia isn't a law dictionary, but I think this shuts down the entrapment argument:

Entrapment is forcing you to break the law. As in, the cops blackmailing you into breaking the law, and then arresting you for said law breakage.

Incidentally, the state does compliance checks because the federal government requires it (and doesn't fund it), so if you think this is a wrong thing, the blame goes to the federal level.

I tend to blame the feds for a lot of things anyway. We have a pretty decent state government here in Utah.
Would I likely have neglected to ID somebody who I mistook for a regular customer had the police not been there? Probably.

There is a high risk, high reward way to get off the charges. Or go to prison forever.

Was thinking that since i have a squeaky clean record I'll probably get a small fine and no jail time, but have been talking with some other gas station employees around here. From what it sounds, the local judge is very fond of throwing the book at violators of this law. I don't know if I believe all the stories though, because one lady said her friend got a $1500 fine for a first time offense. I've checked the state law, and the maximum fine for a first time offense is $750. The only way she could have had that happen was if she was on probation at the time for something else and had to pay other fines for violating it....

Either way, I think my college plans are going to be heavily affected. If I get the fine, I won't have any money left over for food, gas, and utilities, AND the Misdemeanor count will make it even more difficult than it is to find a job, so I may have to bag college for now.

That is really awful. I hope you get off with a slap on the wrist, but do be more careful about the law.

Oh, believe me, I will be. I generally am pretty careful with what I do. I try to fly under the radar. I've been trying(and been fairly successful) to be somebody that older adults can trust/rely on. I have always felt that one of a man's most important possessions is his name. In this small town, I would like it that every time somebody mentions my name, they can't think of anything impeachable about my character. Surely there will be flaws, but it never hurts to try....

I hate my life

The Yellow Light of Death came back on my PS3. I've currently got it back apart and the motherboard is cooling down after the heat treatment I just applied to it. I guess this is one more reason that I don't need to buy an HDTV afterall. I'll be able to use that $300 towards my fines......

?

Eeehhh, me just hangin' around in limbo. Family:"all you gotta do is take a step forward!" Me:"heh heh..yah already tried to, hasn't worked!"

The last few days have been incredibly ing ty.

My laptop charger is borked, and until I find a new one, can't do anything.

Burned my hand really badly on the manifold of my lawn tractor, ironically, while taking the extra safety precaution of unplugging the spark plug before working on it. On the up side, the tractor works again. But I've got a blister about two inches across on my palm and another small one on a finger. Not good places to have agonizing burn blisters!

That's why I wait for engines to cool down before working on them.

For my rant, I just barely realized today that my Money Market savings account hasn't increased in balance for months(except for deposits of course). I did a little investigating and found out it currently has a 0.00% interest rate. WTF mate.....