Mecklenburg County Underage Possession of Alcohol Charge Dismissed

A Browning & Long client was out at a bar when an undercover law enforcement officer alleged that our client received an alcoholic beverage from another patron. Accordingly, our client was charged with a violation of N.C.G.S. 18B-302(b), possessing an alcoholic beverage while being less than 20 years old.

This offense is a Class 3 misdemeanor which carries a maximum fine of up to $200.00 and incarceration of up to 20 days in jail. The attorneys at Browning & Long were able to get the underage possession charge voluntarily dismissed by demonstrating to the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office that the arresting officer would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that our client did in fact possess an alcoholic beverage.

Because Browning & Long was able to negotiate a voluntary dismissal of the charge, our client not only avoided fines, community service, probation, and jail time, but also the potential employment and educational implications of an underage possession of an alcoholic beverage conviction. As a result of the voluntary dismissal, our client can now have her charge expunged from her criminal history, meaning no one will ever be able to see that our client was charged with underage possession of an alcoholic beverage.