CHARLOTTE, Mi. (WILX/CNN) — A Michigan woman didn't know she owed fines over late library books until she found out she had an arrest warrant over them.
Melinda Sanders-Jones, who is a mother of five, said she didn't even know she had the books until she visited the library a few months back, CNN affiliate WILX reported.
The Michigan mother said she was told she couldn't use the printer until she returned the books. So she went home, grabbed them off her son's bookshelf and returned them to the library, assuming she would get a notice about the late fees.
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"I assumed that they had sent it to collections and that I would see it on my report or something like that. I had no idea that criminal charges we going to be pressed," she said.
Sanders said she found out about the warrant when her boss conducted a background check she needed for a promotion. She said she had to pull over because she started laughing.
"He was like, 'No, I'm serious.' And I was like, 'No, there's no way. There's no way I have a warrant."
Sanders said she never got late notices from the library because she was moving around.
After getting fingerprinted and a court date, Sanders is hoping the charges get dropped. She is charged with failing to return rental property, which carries a maximum penalty of 93 days in jail and a $500 fine.
Mother of five gets arrest warrant for late library books
Melinda Sanders-Jones, who is a mother of five, said she didn't even know she had the books until she visited the library a few months back, CNN affiliate WILX reported.
The Michigan mother said she was told she couldn't use the printer until she returned the books. So she went home, grabbed them off her son's bookshelf and returned them to the library, assuming she would get a notice about the late fees.
Follow this story to get email or text alerts from NBC2 when there is a future article following this storyline.
Follow this story
"I assumed that they had sent it to collections and that I would see it on my report or something like that. I had no idea that criminal charges we going to be pressed," she said.
Sanders said she found out about the warrant when her boss conducted a background check she needed for a promotion. She said she had to pull over because she started laughing.
"He was like, 'No, I'm serious.' And I was like, 'No, there's no way. There's no way I have a warrant."
Sanders said she never got late notices from the library because she was moving around.
After getting fingerprinted and a court date, Sanders is hoping the charges get dropped. She is charged with failing to return rental property, which carries a maximum penalty of 93 days in jail and a $500 fine.
Mother of five gets arrest warrant for late library books
