Teavelling out of the USA with a bench warrant

[Daemon]

Hey y'all,
I'm thinking of travelling abroad, from the US, and I have a question. I have two bench warrants, which are 50 mile pickup only, and I want to travel to Canada and then to Cambodia. I have a valid US Passport that was obtained when I first got the warrants. No problems, and I have passed into CA before, from MI, with active bench warrants, no problem.

Any thoughts?

 

[FirstTracks]

wouldn't the smarter thing to do be just to wait out of state for 6 months or a year, however long it takes for the warrants to clear?

 

[Daemon]

^^Huh? Never heard of that, but I am and have been out of state for a while now. They are misdemeanors as well, forgot to mention that.

 

[FirstTracks]

i'm no expert on the matter. I just seem to remember one or two thread over the past year dealing with people travelling with warrants out. couldn't give ya direct links offhand, but you may find something with a search.
Just being me, i'd rather not start a trip to a foreign country, only to get stopped at the airport and carted around on a van/bus between diffrent prisions for a month or 3 until i got back to my home state where there were charges against me. Seems state to state travel is usually fine, but crossing international borders is becoming more and more sketchy if you have any charges against you.

 

[Verite]

When they can pop you at any one of your check-stops why wouldnt you clear your minor problems up before travel?

 

[Daemon]

Well, here is the situation.

I have two bench warrants of of **, but I don't live there. I am looking at probably at least 8 months in jail, if not a year. So, I'm just not ready to go in yet, dig? I figure if staying far away from the state the warrants are based in, considering they are 50mile pickup only, I should be fine. As I said I traveled into CA from this state with no problems, though that was rather stupid.

 

[FirstTracks]

Well, here is the situation.

I have two bench warrants of of **, but I don't live there. I am looking at probably at least 8 months in jail, if not a year. So, I'm just not ready to go in yet, dig? I figure if staying far away from the state the warrants are based in, considering they are 50mile pickup only, I should be fine. As I said I traveled into CA from this state with no problems, though that was rather stupid.

just tryin to look out for ya, and really not trying to be an ass.
but travelling across real international borders just doesn't make sense.

i guess i'm just not seeing why, if you don't want to risk going to jail, you're so desperate to travel outside the u.s. seems like many in your position would just take advantage of their luck, lay low for a few year til charges disappear, and then travel.

obviously if you're comfortable with it, just go for it. just assumed you were looking on feedback since you asked......but maybe you just wanted reassurance that it was ok to submit yourself to multiple ID checks at borders when you have a warrant or two out.

the word 'prudent' comes to mind.

 

[Daemon]

^^That's good advice, which I very much appreciate. I wasn't just looking for reassurance, it seems I get a different answer depending on who I ask.


Prudent is a fitting term....

 

[whiterabbit9]

prudent


sssssscared!

its ok im a scaredy cat too

 

[Delta9Farms]

dont do it man its not the risk. charges dont just disappear.. they linger on for years and years. i know this guy that had a vandalism charge against him in florida over 12 years ago and he got fuckd for it recently because he travelled to that state a few months ago. u should clear out ur warrants before u even think of travelling out. ive had a similar situation but cant say in here cuz everything u write on here is searchable by anyone in the future.

 

[Verite]

When they are stopping people at the border and turning them away for petty prior crimes like DUI's from 20 years previous what makes you think you are going to pass at all with active warrants? I got a franklin says they stop you at the border and hold you for transfer.

Do you seriously think they are going to Mapquest it out to see if you are beyond some magical marker of 50 miles and shrug their shoulders and let you pass? They dont want past petty criminals in their country now let alone current ones.

Do you even have the minimum required like a valid passport? You cant cross a border without one now. You should also check your travel plans first since its not likely you can just show up in canada and get a free pass travel to the far east. You'll have to go thru customs every part of the way and at every stop its going to show warrants for your arrest and more than likely thats going to stop your travel. Its not like your magic 50 mile marker is going to stop the NCIC database from reporting your info when they look it up.

If you got a year plus the fleeing charge theres no way in hell they put some 50 mile limit on your warrant pickup. They can and will pick you up anywhere and you'll serve part of your time where your at and then be transfered at their pace. Happens all the time.

 

[Daemon]

^^That's what I thought. To note though, it is a 50mile pickup. I got pinched in a town about 85 miles from where these warrants are from and they would not come get me.

Thanks for the advice, though.

 

[bigbluntbob]

you should be fine. i had active warrants and was out on bond with pending felony charges when i went to amsterdam. i didn't have any problems.

 

[tripples]

there are no statute of limitations once the warrant is issued.. there is on the time from the crime till the warrant is issued, unless for something like murder or the like.. once the warrant is issued it doesnt just disappear over the years, it is there for ever.. lots of states still dont check with other states to see if you have outstanding warrants.. but some do and id guess they mostly check surrounding states and or your home state.. i wouldnt bet on it but im sure youll be fine..
im no lawyer and state to state may vary.. but this is my understanding of how things are currently working..
ive also left the country with pending charges out on bond and had no problems.. but i left straight from the states to my destination..

 

[SemperAltus]

dont do it man its not the risk. charges dont just disappear.. they linger on for years and years. i know this guy that had a vandalism charge against him in florida over 12 years ago and he got fuckd for it recently because he travelled to that state a few months ago. u should clear out ur warrants before u even think of travelling out. ive had a similar situation but cant say in here cuz everything u write on here is searchable by anyone in the future.

ya exactly ive never heard of charge just being dropped...

 

[bagseed77]

they wouldnt go 85 miles, there are not going to another country to get ya, travel light ! the dude said he went to the dam no problems, just dont go in that state,peace

 

[billy_big_bud!]

does it work the same in canada?

 

[MEDUSA]

They may not arrest you, but if you are checked at any border or airport, they can, and will hold you, until they have confirmation from the department that holds your warrant. Every warrant is loaded into the NCIC database. That is world wide. All that waiting can be quite the inconvenience. Especially if you have to catch a plane.

MED/USA

 

[Maj.PotHead]

wouldn't the smarter thing to do be just to wait out of state for 6 months or a year, however long it takes for the warrants to clear?

some bench warrents have a 7yr statue of limitations some like DUI/DWI dont the warrent stays valid for life. when you enter canada they'll run 50 state NCIC, when they see your warrents you'll be refused entery dosent matter if ya have a valid passport. after 9/11 US gave Canada the ncic program

 

[Buddle]

I travelled to Amsterdam in 05 with a warrant.I was delayed for @ 15 min upon my return to NY. Long enough for them to contact the state with the warrant and learn they weren't coming to get me.I've also been to the UK twice with no incidence.
I travelled to Canada this summer.No problems.
New York was the only time I was delayed..Best of luck to you.
P.S.The bond on the warrant is 500.00 also a misdemeanor..peace