Legal Question in Criminal Law in Florida

The State Attorney's Office can file formal charges for any offense which they believe they have a good faith basis. Based on your brief description, this sounds like an employee theft case. If I am correct, the retailer presumably has some proof of the missing merchandise independent of your son's statement/confession. If they did, and his confession merely verified the amount, then it is likely that he will be charged with the maximum value that they can prove was missing. If, on the other hand, there is no independent proof and/or his statement was improperly obtained, it can challenged and if successful, will not be used against him as part of the basis to file formal charges.

A more thorough understanding of the facts and circumstances surrounding the case is necessary to provide you with a better understanding of the process. I encourage you to contact an attorney that practices in the county where this case was committed. Most all defense attorneys offer free consultations for this very purpose.

Good Luck,