Location: I’m in Missouri, but my friend is in North Carolina.
Recently my friend (21 y/o) decided to leave their family home because they felt they were being abused by their family. In doing so, they left their house with a laptop they believed to be a gift from their parents, but the parents are claiming it is actually property of the company the work for.
I called their parents trying to get information confirming that it actually was company property, claiming to be a friend of their kid and saying I acted on no official capacity, but would try to help return the laptop if it actually was company property because their child did not want to be in legal trouble for it. They told us they don’t need to produce any evidence that it is and that they would be following up with the police to attempt to get the laptop back. The conversation eventual became hostile and I decided to end it there.
In the following days I received several calls and attempts to message me, all of which I blocked. They found my facebook and commented on my most recent post with “Time to do the right thing”, after which I blocked them and privated my facebook page.
Fast forward about a week, and they are finally following up with the police and pressing charges (felony larceny according to the parents), but they claim to be pressing charges against me as well for “acting as a proxy” according to what they said. I don’t understand how I could be implicated here considering it was clarified that I didn’t act in any official capacity and furthermore, I haven’t been in the state of North Carolina for the entirety of this situation. I’m not in possession of the laptop, nor have I ever been.
I’m confused on if they have any grounds for this, what actions I should take to defend myself, and if there’s anything I can do to help my friend.
Comments
You both need to go (together) and get a consultation with a lawyer. Do you think your friend is being truthful about it being a gift? You have asked for proof from the family and not received it. Your friend took the laptop (rightly or not) and in hindsight, you shouldn’t have had any communication with the parents. I don’t think they’ll get anywhere with you, but definitely get with a lawyer, and make sure your friend gives them the whole story. Consultations are generally free, but ask up front.
Not a Lawyer.
This is kind of a terminology thing, but it’s very important: they do not press charges. They can, at most, report to the police. The police then investigate and can recommend that the District Attorney press charges. They are likely hoping that ‘we’re pressing charges’ will frighten you, but there are several steps between them making a police report and anything else happening. At this point it’s probably simply worthwhile to ignore them, block them, and move on – even if the police do pursue the laptop, the odds of them coming after you are extremely low.
IF the Police contact you, DO NOT TALK TO THEM ALONE. You should decline to answer questions, tell them you will not answer questions without a lawyer, get a lawyer, and speak to the police only with the lawyer present to advise you.
EDIT: And, of course, that advice regarding the police also applies double to your friend!