Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

I recently received a phone call from a lady claiming to be with an investigations unit. She said that calls from my phone were made to an underage prostitute and that I would need to be visited to answer some questions. I told her that I would rather come to them and she told me to go to the police station on a certain street in a certain town but did not provide an exact address (though i didn't ask). When I got to the police station and explained why I was there nobody seemed to have any idea of what I was talking about so I then called the Sherriff and the District Attorney because they both have investigation units. When I contacted the DA the only female investigator (who sounded very much like who I talked to previously) said that she didn't call me and it must have been a prank phone call. I guess what I want to know is how likely is it that it was a real phone call? It's been a week now and I haven't heard anything. Are the investigators allowed to lie to who they call?


Asked on 3/09/11, 10:40 am

2 Answers from Attorneys
Michael Stone Law Offices of Michael B. Stone Toll Free 1-855-USE-MIKE

Don't talk to cops, real or fake, and don't go to police stations.

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Answered on 3/09/11, 11:02 am
Terry A. Nelson Nelson & Lawless

Your guess is as good as mine as to the authenticity of the call. Yes, police are allowed to lie, mislead, confuse, sting, etc. Haven't you ever watched a TV copy show or the news? They can say you are a witness to be questioned, when they know you are the suspect. Going to the police station makes their job so much easier than having to go find you to put on the cuffs.

More to the point: when contacted by law enforcement attempting to interview you or discuss any case with you for any reason, the ONLY specific advice you should expect to get is to exercise your 5th Amendment rights to SHUT UP, hire an attorney, and do NOT talk to anyone except your attorney about the case. With ANY crime being investigated, you potentially face charges that could put you in jail/prison. Most police and prosecutors will happily tell you that 95% of people convict themselves by trying to be 'helpful and cooperative'. Unless you know how to effectively represent yourself in court against a professional prosecutor intending to convict you, hire an attorney who does. If they contact you again, and if this is in SoCAL, and if you�re serious about hiring counsel, feel free to contact me.

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Answered on 3/09/11, 12:08 pm


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