Thanks for the guidance, all. Ya, it was 14 years ago and literally 17 days post my 18th birthday. At the time, my father was a police officer in neighboring Long Beach, but I declined to seek his help in "getting me out of it," which he very well could have. Looking back, I wished I had because this offense has been hanging over my head in one form or another since.
If I do get denied, my defense to the judge will be that I have had no run-ins with the law since - besides a few speeding tickets - and have served in the army, honorably discharged, have earned a bachelors and two master degrees, and am an HR Manager at a large multinational company. Hopefully, that will be enough.
Not for nothing, but I did get it expunged in California.