Legal Question in Criminal Law in Arizona

Yes. In the state of Arizona, the prosecutor can sit on charges and wait until you have turned 18 in order to charge you as an adult. It's best to retain private counsel in cases like this to ensure the best possible outcome. Good luck!

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Shoplifting is a misdemeanor which has 12 months for its statute of limitations. Prosecutors often wait for the suspect to attain the age of 18 years so that they can charge it as an adult case rather than as a juvenile. A conviction then becomes part of the permanent criminal record.

A first time offending shoplifter usually receives a fine upon conviction and sometimes may be considered for diversion, depending upon the jurisdiction, which results in dismissal when the terms of diversion are successfully met. There could be a variety of terms for disposition in a shoplifting case.