Originally Posted by
Bucknut
We all have done things that we shouldn't have and some have been caught and others have not. Anyone taking the high road here is kidding themselves.
Did I steal candy when I was 3? Yes, and my mom has a funny story about that.
Would I have ever considered stealing anything by the time I was an adult with a CPL? Hell no. Hopefully he just turned 18, passed his CPL checkride on his birthday, and then went shoplifting to celebrate. A criminal history after teenage years is going to be a huge red flag.
The OP needs to SERIOUSLY evaluate his own thought processes and judgement. This history is completely at odds with what is expected of a professional airline pilot.
He seems concerned about whether this history can be discovered later...
The general consensus is to never lie about something like this to an airline. If they find out you lied, you will be fired for certain.
Also airlines may have access to criminal history information which is not available to normal private-sector employers. This has to do with the need to apply for a SIDA access, which is a federal law enforcement function. If a non-avaition lawyer tells you that it cannot be discovered, he might be wrong.
All that said, some regional will hire him even with the conviction.
As a misdeameanor, I don't think this will prevent TSA approval for SIDA access...but don't lie about it when you apply. That's a federal felony.
This will probably not be a big issue for an FAA medical or ATP. but don't lie about it when you apply. That's a federal felony.