me and my best budd, were in a most unfortunate criminal situation, and in the end he was left with all of the blame and trouble, and i was involved with half of it,but i left with a clean slate. This has haunted me ever since then,and we haven't spoke to each other since the incident.

Dude, you've seriously gotta admit your part in that. Partly for the reason that your friend may some day turn you in, and you will be in a bigger hole than you're already in, but mostly to show your friend that you're not some coward who ditched him to save your own ***, and to prove that you are a good friend.
Don't procrastinate. Do it A.S.A.P.