Jekai Reid-John and Devon Melchor's first mistake was to be involved in the alleged attempted robbery and murder of Sree Aravapalli. Their second mistake was to cross state lines.

Reid-John, 27, of Norristown, Pennsylvania, and Melchor, 26, of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, are suspected in the Oct. 26 murder of Sree Aravapalli, 54, of Plainsboro Township, New Jersey. Reid-John was arrested Oct. 27 in Pennsylvania on a New Jersey first-degree murder warrant. Melchor was caught in Florida as he boarded a plane in an attempt to flee the country. He has been not only been charged with attempted robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery in New Jersey, but he is also reportedly being held in Florida on gun, drug, and burglary charges.

At least ten state and federal law enforcement agencies, including U.S. Marshals, collaborated to apprehend both men. Reid-John and Melchor face additional charges, defense expenses, and extradition to New Jersey.

Don't Cross the Line

Anyone under suspicion or charged with a crime might be tempted to move to another state, but it's just going to compound criminal charges.

Under New Jersey law, it's not technically illegal to leave the state to avoid arrest or prosecution. That's because crossing any state line to avoid criminal charges is a federal crime. It's called unlawful flight to avoid prosecution (UFAP) under the Fugitive Felon Act.

New Jersey adheres to the Uniform Criminal Extradition Law. Defendants arrested on a New Jersey warrant will be charged with the costs of bringing them back to New Jersey.

Consequences of Failure to Appear

Regardless of whether a suspect or defendant crosses a state line, a failure to appear in court for a criminal matter can result in the issue of a bench warrant for arrest. The suspect or defendant can receive an additional criminal charge commensurate with the charges already before the court. Thus, a third-degree felony charge can result in an additional third-degree felony for “default in required appearance.” Defaults are punishable by incarceration, fines, and suspension of New Jersey driver's license.

An arrest warrant for default in required appearance will follow a suspect or defendant anywhere in the United States. This can cause employment problems, and a mere traffic stop could result in arrest, incarceration, and extradition. It can also cause local charges for driving with a suspended New Jersey license. It also makes it impossible to obtain a driver's license in another state.

Seek Counsel, Not Hiding

Suspects and defendants only add additional criminal charges, and defense costs, by fleeing or failing to appear. This makes a bad situation even worse. An experienced criminal defense attorney like Joseph D. Lento can negotiate a client's release on their own recognizance. Furthermore, depending on both the client and charges against the client, the attorney may be able to negotiate permission to travel out of the immediate court jurisdiction or even out of state for work or personal reasons. For advice and legal counsel, call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686.