Juvenile Crime Global Entry Denied - unknown disposition 24 years ago

Mikee1216

New Member
Jurisdiction
California
Need advice or direction.

I applied for Global Entry online and was conditionally approved. I went to my in person interview with US Customs and Border Protection on 1/2/2019 only to find out I won't be approved that day. Apparently, after the fingerprint check, the agent asked me if I have ever been arrested.

I replied no, and he asked do you have another name I go by, and replied no. He found an arrest record and he then asked you weren't arrested in 1995? I tried to remember and said no I don't remember. I then asked, for what? He replied, it was with the Torrance PD. I grew up in Torrance, so now I vaguely remember an incident. I told him, I remember when I was younger, my childhood friends and I got kicked out of Torrance mall (Del Amo Fashion Mall). After trying to remember, I really couldn't during the interview. I started to remember the details during the drive home.

Here's what happened, we were at the mall, I was only 14, Torrance PD at the time split groups of 3 or more. Not sure what happened, but I remember my family friends started to run away from the Torrance Police and chase one of them. I just stood there. When they caught one him, they found a Honda Emblem on his keychain and said he stole it. They arrested us 3. Two of the family friends were brothers.

Long story short, they brought us to the Torrance Police Department and called our parents. Our parents picked us up and that was the last thing I remember. My parents were upset but told me that one of my friends dad said the Honda emblem was given to him. It was a keychain and they though it was stolen from a car at the mall. This was it, I thought of nothing about this and listened to my parents about not to hang out with these friends.

What the US Customs and Border Protection saw on my record was:

Arrest Date: 08/04/1995

Agency: Torrance PD

Arrest Case # xxxxx xxxxxx

Charge: Receive/Stolen Property 496(A) PC

Severity: Felony

Disposition: Unknown


I told them nothing happened that I can recall after we were sent home with our parents. I was 14 at the time and can't remember all the details, but I know I never went to court and my parents just said the next day that it was taken care of by the parents of my family friends. I didn't have anything on me when we were arrested, I just happened to be in their group and friends didn't want to answer whose keys they found that night.


What the US Customs and Border Protection wants is a Disposition. I don't have much info from here.

My question is: Can I call Torrance PD and ask about the case? Will they still have records after 24 years? Will they do anything? Is there something I can do to get this resolved or at least updated? I didn't even know I had a record until the fingerprinting. I never even had gotten a speeding/parking ticket.

I have 30 days to submit resolution or to update the case before Global Entry application will be withdrawn. I think I care about clearing my name from something that seems ridiculous to me.
 
My question is: Can I call Torrance PD and ask about the case?

Yes.

Will they still have records after 24 years? Will they do anything?

Those are things you need to ask the PD.

Is there something I can do to get this resolved or at least updated?

The likely problem is that what the CBP has from the PD does not show the disposition of the charges. For that, you may need to get the record from the court. Since you were a juvenile at the time, there is a good chance that those records are sealed and cannot be obtained by a public online search. I suggest you call the criminal court clerk there and see what can do to get the case file info, and then see about getting a certified copy of the disposition. That is what you'll likely need to give CBP. But CBP is your best resource as to what it wants to see.
 
Wow, this is a wonderful forum, thank you for taking the time to reply, really appreciated. All weekend, I've been waiting to call them and stressing over this situation. They don't open till 7am. I will call asap. I wish I would've known I had a record before going to my long waited interview.
 
You apparently have a juvenile arrest record from the incident, but not a conviction. The disposition will make this clear.
Under your circumstances it is very likely that it is acceptable for you to state you do not have an arrest record on employment applications. You should seek some guidance about this when filling out applications in the future.
Between contacting the PD and the juvenile court for records you should be able to obtain what you need.
 
Thanks for the help, Torrance PD directed me to Childrens's Court and I called them as well. I faxed them a JVC 570 & JVC 575 Form. They couldn't find any record of a case number while on the phone with them. They said, if the case was dropped it wouldn't show up with a case number. They are finding more info and will notify me with records found/not found or a letter saying there was no case to this arrest.
 
It sounds very much like the case was dropped and never reached the court, however you were apparently fingerprinted when arrested which generated a juvenile arrest record.
You might see if the PD will also provide you a letter indicating no charges were pursued and they have no record.
 
Back
Top