I just committed a federal offense! (help)

[AnqeiicDemise]

For the past two months, we've been getting mail for some guy I've never heard of. (probably the forwarding system expired or something...) I've followed the advice I've always been told: write 'Return to Sender; Does not live here.' and drop it into the mail box again. Never thought of anything until JUST NOW.

[background]

Lately I started picking up J for the carpool thing again. She sought help, is back on her meds and is actually back to normal. Since she's not being paranoid or crazy/needy, I have no problem helping her out. That means I have to go pick her up in Neighboring City in the morning by City court.

Today in the mail I got a bunch of cards from the exchange (I haven't been able to stop by the post office as I had no tires and the money I had saved off for postage went to said new tires 'cause of the snow storms we've been having.), my bills for the car and a Moving Violation Notice from Neighboring City Court.

I dropped my cigar, cursed and tore open the letter to get the info I need so I could find out WHERE I ran a red as I couldn't remember. I logged into www.Violationinfo.com with the citation number and pin number provided (mind you, I'm just looking at the information on the lower half of the paper). I click on the image and...

IT IS NOT MY CAR.

I stare at the image for a minute.

I stare at the second image of the car running the red.

I look at the image of the license plate.

And it dawns on me.... I just opened a citation letter for the guy whose mail we've just been getting.

Now I don't know what to do! I have the sense of responsibility to notify the court that he doesn't live here for almost a year but I'm scared of being fined for opening up mail that isn't mine. I'm even more scared over the fact I logged into a secure government website with someone else's info because I didn't read who it was addressed to.

MOH.

what should I do?

[Crazeyal]

Truthfully? Ignore it.

Full disclosure. Write on the envelope "opened by mistake, addressee no longer at this location, no forwarding address"

Law enforcement has MUCH better things to go after than people who open ONE letter. IANAL, but they have to get a DA to waste tax money to arrest, book and then send you to trial. Then you'd likely sue the government for the lost time/wages. You wouldn't win, but they'd pay a portion to make you go away.

Relax.

[NightAngel]

Al's right- they aren't going to come after someone for accidently opening one mail item. I've done it before, probably more than once actually, since it seems no one in FL has ever heard of having their mail forwarded.

[crazylegs]

Meh.

What Crazyal said.

I can think of no justifiable reason why they would go to the huge expense of prosecuting you for ONE letter.

[ditchdj]

Yeah the laws are usually written as if you "knowingly and intentionally" commit a crime. I really doubt any prosecutor is gonna try to build a case out of this.