TV and movies have long made a joke of minors using fake IDs to purchase alcohol and cigarettes or gain access to “adults only” establishments like casinos and bars. A story in the Hartford Courant covered the widespread use of fake identification by college students in Connecticut, where local counterfeit operations and foreign companies online sell fake IDs.

If you're in college and have not yet turned 21, you might be tempted to try to get a fake ID. The pros may seem clear, since a fake ID could get you into bars or allow you to buy alcohol for parties.

Sure, all of this sounds fun – and society has often made light of the practice – but using a fake ID in Connecticut could have very real and serious consequences.

Any person who is arrested for using a fake ID in Connecticut will usually be charged with one of three degrees of forgery. Some of these crimes are felony offenses, which can carry harsh penalties including heavy fines and jail time.

If you have been arrested in Connecticut for allegedly using a fake ID, you need to quickly contact me, Attorney Erin Field at the Field Law Office, LLC. I have nearly 30 years of experience defending people accused of crimes like forgery, and I have a 100% success rate when it comes to first-time offenders.

My firm has three office locations in Enfield, West Hartford, and New Haven. Call me or contact me online today to take advantage of a free consultation to discuss how I could help you.

Fake ID Penalties in Connecticut

When a person is arrested for using a fake ID, they will typically be charged with forgery. Connecticut has three degrees of forgery offenses:

• Forgery in the First Degree, Connecticut General Statute § 53a-138 — Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000.
• Forgery in the Second Degree, Connecticut General Statute § 53a-139 — Class D felony punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $5,000.
• Forgery in the Third Degree, Connecticut General Statute § 53a-140 — Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.

Fake ID-related forgery charges can be challenging to contest, but securing a favorable outcome is far from impossible. You should not assume that you'll automatically be convicted, and there are often many different avenues we can pursue to fight these charges.

You should make sure to hire an experienced criminal defense attorney to stand up for you. I may be able to get your criminal charges reduced or completely dismissed when a prosecutor does not have the evidence needed to secure a conviction at trial.

I understand the tremendous stress that an arrest or charge of using a fake ID creates not just for the accused, but their parents and other family members as well. I know that being charged with a crime can be confusing and stressful, so I'll be ready to sit down with you to explain your rights and legal options for moving past this.

You have nothing to lose by contacting Field Law Office, LLC to discuss your case with me. Schedule your confidential consultation by calling me or contacting me online.