So here's my story. I came to Indiana from Spokane WA a few years back to meet my dad for the first time since I was 4. I fell in love with my dad and came to a lot of realizations about what happened between my mom and dad when I was a kid. The truth was that my mom had left my dad at a time where he was down and out and had refused to let him see his kids so in turn he refused to pay child support. She even told him not to send us any gifts because she would throw them away and told him when she left him that he would never see us, but was expected to pay. Like I said, he was down and out at the time and felt helpless, so he pretty much went into a depression and remained lazy until it was too late in his life. He got on his feet about 5 years before I met him but was working using a false SSN because of child support. He went between 3 different jobs and eventually child support found him each time and started taking 70% of his checks. I personally watched this happen. Somebody ended up teaching my dad how to manufacture meth in a bottle, and after my dad left his last job he started manufacturing/selling stuff on ebay to make money. I had a job a lot of the time and moved out a couple of times with friends but kept ending up back at my dad's house, which isn't all bad. My dad and I have more laughs together than any 2 people I know. This went on for 3 years, getting raided multiple times because we came into contact with someone who ended up haunting us with cop calls for 2 years. The cops never managed to find anything that could prove manufacturing until about 5 days ago. Earlier this week, I was talking to my sister on the phone and there was a knock at my door. Opened the door and a cop is standing there. My dad had recently started letting the snitch stay at our house again, despite me throwing a huge fit over it. She brought in money, and he desperately needed it. I had quit my call center job a week ago and it was back to mostly him making the money for a month. I was fully prepared to get a new job and was on day 12 of sobriety, working towards drug testing at Menards but I needed a little time. The cops gathered everyone in the house. They saw my pipe, bong, gas mask, chillum, hitter, and bubbler in my room and had me gather these possessions and put them all on a table out in the front room where they placed all evidence they found. They got their search warrant and went to town. In the end, my dad, his girlfriend, our friend and the snitch all got manufacturing charges. The cops could tell that I took no part in any of it but still slapped me with a B misdemeanor for my pipes and bong. I could have got the same charges as everyone else, but they only found things of marijuana relation in my room and went easy on me. Still... I go to court tomorrow. My main priority is going back home to Spokane Washington where my family is, and desperately wants me back. I have nowhere to live in Indiana and I hate it here. I was only here to be around my dad (despite the awful mess he was in, I could not abandon him so early into our relationship). I am worried that the judge will tell me I can't leave. I am willing to cooperate by paying whatever fines I owe etc. but I can't stay here no matter what. If the give me probation and if I do leave back to Washington, is there a chance that I will get stopped trying to board a plane or a bus? Does one pose more risk than the other? I am a little paranoid and just need some clarity. I will be emptying my bank account tomorrow and buying my ticket so I need to know just to ease my paranoia. Thanks for any replies. Sorry if this is a tl;dr.
Be thankful you didn't get felony charges. The State will probably give you a small amount of probation time, and if you let the court know during this process you have employment and family support in WA, and mostly bad influences are around you in Indiana, I doubt they'll put up a fuss about you leaving. The judge won't be the one telling you it's okay though - once your case is resolved in the court system you'll get put on probation, and you'll need to clear all these details with your PO, they set paperwork in motion and transfer your probation to the state you're moving. Don't try to bounce or flee on a small charge and have it turn into something serious. Not worth it
I also have a squeaky clean record. Maybe they would drop the charges? They didn't find and weed. Just pipes. Another thing. Obviously we all know about Washington state marijuana laws. I feel that if they weren't going to drop the charges, they wouldn't be so eager to let me leave because Washington would probably drop the charges for anything marijuana related. When marijuana became legal in Washington, they released everyone that was in for marijuana related charges.
Possibly - if the State would drop the class B misd. and reduce your penalty to a forfeiture (fine) that would be best. Sometimes they'll offer you take 'drug counseling' and pay a fine, and charges will be dropped. Hopefully that happens. I wouldn't plan on sunshine and walks in the park when dealing w/ the government though. Some District Attorneys like to prosecute everybody for everything and specifically have vendettas against drug dealers/users. Regardless, you should be able to get to WA sometime soon. Your charges aren't that serious and in the scheme of things you aren't in that much trouble. It would probably be worth your time to talk to a public defender if you can't afford an attorney - they'll be able to maneuver you best through the situation.