How can I prevent this felony charge from going on my record and ruining my future?

Any criminal defense lawyer would be able to help your friend. He is lucky to have a friend like you. Anyhow, tell your friend to look up a criminal defense lawyer on the web.

From there he would have to meet with the lawyer and request the proper forms to fill out in order to have his record sealed and expunged.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.