County Deputy Sheriff In Virginia Sentenced For Embezzling $229K

Public corruption is endemic, even in law enforcement circles.  From the Washington Post on 6/17/2016:

Claiming not to remember the past decade was not a good way try to escape hard time — at least not for Frank Pearson, a former Loudoun County sheriff’s deputy sentenced Friday to three years in prison for embezzlement.

Pearson, who from 2010 to 2013 stole $229,000 in forfeited assets he was charged with overseeing, maintained throughout his trial that he had amnesia covering 10 years.

U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III, who presided over Pearson’s bench trial and found him guilty, said Friday that he does not believe the claim.

“You may have convinced yourself that you don’t remember these events,” Ellis said, but “your claim of amnesia doesn’t resonate with me.”

Defense attorneys said before the trial that in October 2013, after Pearson’s wife found him unresponsive on the bathroom floor of the family’s home, he woke up thinking the year was 2001 and he was unable to recognize friends he had met after that year.

Ellis noted Friday that a physician was unable to confirm Pearson’s memory loss and had deemed the ex-deputy fit to stand trial.

“I grew up in a society where corruption was rife,” said Ellis, who was born in Colombia. “Corruption by government can kill a society.”

Prosecutors noted that not all of the lost funds have been accounted for. The night before he was due to meet with supervisors who had grown suspicious, Pearson was seen leaving the office with two boxes that another deputy said contained rolls of coins.
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Local County Commissioner In Michigan Pleads Guilty To Embezzling More Than $100K From County Agencies

From The Herald-Palladium on 3/7/2015:

Berrien County Commissioner Robert Wooley on Friday pleaded guilty to felony embezzlement charges, admitting he stole more than $100,000 from the senior citizen center he directed and a smaller amount from a fire department.

Wooley is free on bond pending sentencing April 20 in Berrien County Trial Court.
 After appearing in court for a case conference, he pleaded guilty to charges of embezzlement by agent or trustee over $100,000, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

He further pleaded guilty to attempted embezzlement of $20,000 to $50,000, a five-year felony.

The plea was accepted by Judge Sterling Schrock, who asked Wooley a series of questions to establish a factual basis.
 

The 62-year-old Coloma resident admitted that he embezzled more than $100,000 from the North Berrien Senior Center while serving as director from 2007 to August 2014.
 

He further told the court he converted more than $20,000 but less than $50,000 to his own use by writing checks to himself while serving the North Berrien Fire Rescue Department as a board member and part-time bookkeeper from 2011 to 2014.
 

With the guilty plea, Wooley loses his seat on the county Board of Commissioners, a position he has held for 16 years. The county board has scheduled a special meeting for 3 p.m. Monday to acknowledge the vacancy and establish the procedure to appoint someone to fill it.
 

Wooley represented the county board's 1st District, which covers the northern portion of the county.

After being charged with the senior center embezzlement, Wooley continued to fulfill his responsibilities as a county commissioner, attending meetings as recently as Thursday.
 

Following Friday's court session, Wooley's lawyer, Andrew Burch, said his client used the embezzled money for gambling, and at one point he attempted to win enough to repay what was taken.
 

Chief Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer Smith said that under terms of a plea agreement, the original charge of embezzlement from the fire board was reduced to attempt. Also, the prosecutor's office agreed not to file any additional charges stemming from either case.
 

Wooley, in addition to pleading guilty to the two charges, agreed to pay restitution.
 

He was charged in December with embezzling money from the senior center, where he served as director since 1996.
 

Prosecutor Michael Sepic said at the time the charge was filed that about $150,000 was taken over seven years from the senior center at 6648 Ryno Road in Coloma.
 

A state police investigation began in January 2014 after a financial institution reported questionable transfers of money into Wooley's account.
 

Wooley transferred money periodically from senior center accounts to an investment account, police said. He then regularly moved funds from the investment account into his personal account.
 

Shortly after the charge was filed, the fire board discovered through an audit several financial irregularities, including checks that appeared to have forged signatures.
 

Wooley resigned his position on the fire board and police began an investigation.
 

The charge involving embezzlement of money from the fire board was recently authorized by the prosecutor's office. Wooley had not been arraigned on the charge when he appeared in court Friday, but waived his right to a preliminary hearing before pleading guilty.

California Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzling Some $450K In Public Funds From Foster Care Agency She Ran

From the Temecula Patch on 2/11/14:

Temecula resident Vivian Lieska Benn, 40, pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of embezzlement by a public officer in a plea agreement at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

The former owner and CEO of a Riverside foster family agency pleaded guilty Tuesday to embezzlement and was immediately sentenced to three years and four months in prison.

Temecula resident Vivian Lieska Benn, 40, pleaded guilty to two counts of embezzlement by a public officer in a plea agreement at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

Benn, who ran Family Hope Foster Family Agency, also admitted to a sentence-enhancing allegation of committing multiple felonies in the taking of more than $100,000 and less than $500,000, according to the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.

One count Benn pleaded guilty to is for embezzlement from 2004 to 2009 and the second count is for crimes from 2010 to 2012. Two other counts were dismissed as part of the plea deal. Both sides also agreed to a restitution amount of $450,000, according to the District Attorney's Office.

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Former Massachusetts Municipal Library Head Charged With Embezzling $200K

Robert E. Rice Jr., 45, of Rowley, New Hampshire, has been charged with embezzling at least $200,000 from the Revere Public Library, where he had served as its longtime director. According to prosecutors, Rice purchased items for himself with library funds, such as books, DVDs, software and other items. He is alleged to have sold some of the items purchased with municipal funds on Ebay, pocketing the proceeds. Rice was indicted on 21 felony counts, including 3 counts of embezzlement by a city officer and 15 counts of procurement fraud. The misappropriations dates back to at least 2005 and continued until January 2009 when he resigned his position after being confronted with some improper purchases, including a Rolex Watch and elephant tusks. Rice had been employed by the library for 27 years, serving as director for the last 12 years.

Read the story here and here.

Update (12/28/11): Rice, now 46, pleaded guilty in a plea agreement to 18 felony counts including embezzlement by a city officer and procurement fraud and was sentenced to 6 months in prison.  Since leaving his post at the Revere Public Library, Rice took a position as director of the Pelham Library in Pelham, New Hampshire.  Shockingly, Francis Garboski, chairman of the Pelham Library trustees is quoted as saying that Rice's job will be held for him while he is serving his time.

Mississippi Court Clerk Indicted For Embezzling $131K

Terry Lynn Watkins, 56, of Brookhaven, Mississippi and the Lincoln County Circuit Clerk, has been indicted on charges she embezzled some $131,000 from court coffers. Authorities allege that Watkins misappropriated funds from county criminal and civil accounts. She was indicted on eight counts of embezzlement by a public official. According to the indictment, the misappropriations occurred over a three year period between 2004 and 2006.

Read the story here and here.

Update (1/7/11): Circuit Judge William Coleman dismissed an 8 count indictment that accused Lincoln County Circuit Clerk Terry Lynn Watkins with eight counts of embezzlement.

Update (1/9/12): Terry Lynn Watkins, now 57, resigned as Lincoln County Circuit Clerk after pleading guilty to properly deposit county monies.

California Woman Charged With Embezzling $150K From Municipality; Involved Husband & Daughter

Gloria Anna Gonzalez, 46, of Live Oak, California, has been charged with embezzling at least $147,785 from the City of Gridley, where she had been employed as a bookkeeper in the payroll department. Authorities also charged Gonzalez' husband, Vicente Gonzalez and her 20 year old daughter, Miranda Gonzalez as benefiting from the scheme. Gloria Gonzalez has been charged on 8 felony counts and one misdemeanor, including, embezzlement by a public officer, forgery, receiving stolen property and criminal impersonation. The misappropriations allegedly occurred over at least a 15 month period from January 2009 until March 2010. However, investigators believe the scheme could have been spanned years. Authorities believe Gonzalez used her access to the municipal accounting system computers to issue checks which she deposited into her own accounts and then tried to cover up her actions by voiding the checks in the system. The Gonzalez home has been searched for evidence and several new or slightly used computers were found.

Read the story here and here.

Update (10/14/10): Gloria Anna Gonzalez is now the subject of 10 additional felony counts of grand theft alleging she embezzled another $261,597.96 by issuing at least 10 City of Gridley checks which were deposited into the bank account of her other daughter, Bianca Gonzalez. Bianca's boyfriend, Jose Ramirez, also allegedly received checks issued by Gloria Anna Gonzalez.

Update (3/15/11): Gonzalez' trial is now ongoing and the total allegedly embezzled from the City of Gridley is now at $424,195.

Update (11/10/11): Gonzalez' trial was put on hold and she now faces a competency hearing on whether she can face trial.  Assuming she can, the new trial date is set for December 12, 2011.  Two doctors for the defense have evaluated Gonzalez and found that she is unable to assist in her defense, which is being challenged by the prosecutor.