Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

You should be concerned with the fact that you talked to the detective without a lawyer. The odds you will be prosecuted increased considerably as a result.

Stop talking about what you did and start interviewing lawyers.

"Explaining your side" = confession

You can be charged with theft of lost property. If you find something of value, you are required to make reasonable efforts to find the owner.

As others have noted, you should have asked for advice BEFORE talking to the police. Now you just have to wait to see if the District Attorney files charges against you.

You face charges that could put in in jail/prison, and most police and prosecutors will happily tell you that 95% of people convict themselves by trying to be 'helpful and cooperative'. It is already too late to advise you to exercise 5th Amendment rights to SHUT UP and call a lawyer, as every cop show on TV correctly teaches. The attorney will now have to make any motions to dismiss or suppress evidence that may be appropriate, and defend the charges in court hearings and at trial, based upon all the arguments, documents, facts, evidence, witnesses, surveillance tapes, etc. All that will be available in discovery. Unless you know how to effectively represent yourself in court, hire an attorney who does. If this is in SoCAL, and you�re serious about hiring counsel, feel free to contact me.