Filed my citizenship application just a fortnight ago. I had one conviction for disorderly conduct in 1998 for which I paid $ 100 fine. Yesterday, I was stopped at the subway station when I was with my son for fare evasion. My son and I were helping a woman with a child in stroller and a lot of bags and my son carried her stuff in both his hands. I swiped the card for my son and then myself but unfortunately, the order was reversed. The cop gave me a ticket for using school metro card despite seeing everything. He kept insisting that it is not criminal and is just like a parking ticket. I'm planning to fight this ticket and the woman has agreed to give me a statement on oath as to what transpired. I am also planning to take my son to the ticket hearing.
I haven't slept a wink and it looks like my entire life crumbled down due to this incident. I was looking at MTA adjudications and it turned out that their conviction rate is over 85%. I also came across a case where a woman swiped a child who ran to the turnstiles and then used his school card for herself - she was fined for fare evasion. I called the telephone # on the ticket and they said that this is a civil ticket but they also said that the records would remain. I'm not so sure the woman understood the gravity of the matter.
Please help. I'm suicidal. Should I withdraw my citizenship application if I end up being convicted? Would this be considered my second conviction making me deportable ??
I haven't slept a wink and it looks like my entire life crumbled down due to this incident. I was looking at MTA adjudications and it turned out that their conviction rate is over 85%. I also came across a case where a woman swiped a child who ran to the turnstiles and then used his school card for herself - she was fined for fare evasion. I called the telephone # on the ticket and they said that this is a civil ticket but they also said that the records would remain. I'm not so sure the woman understood the gravity of the matter.
Please help. I'm suicidal. Should I withdraw my citizenship application if I end up being convicted? Would this be considered my second conviction making me deportable ??