An embezzlement conviction can have permanent consequences that extend beyond jail time. A criminal conviction can damage an individual’s reputation. If you or a loved one is facing an embezzlement charge, you could benefit from speaking with a well-practiced fraud attorney. A Fairfax embezzlement lawyer would have the knowledge and experience to build a strong defense and protect your rights.
Embezzlement is theft by a person in a position of trust from the entity with which they had the trust. It could be an employee who takes from an employer or a person working for a charity who steals from the charity.
Embezzlement is a state charge. Therefore, Fairfax does not have any local charges for this offense. An individual would be charged with the state offense and their case is heard in Fairfax County when it is the jurisdiction in which a significant part of the offense took place. Even though embezzlement is a state charge, acquiring a Fairfax attorney could be vital in getting a personalized defense.
The ramifications of an embezzlement conviction go beyond incarceration. Often, a conviction could result in life-long, personal consequences.
Jail time is an immediate consequence of an embezzlement conviction. If someone is convicted on the felony level, they face a significant amount of jail time. Fairfax county judges take the state guidelines seriously when a person is convicted of a felony involving more than $500 and would determine a defendant’s sentence.
One of the long-term consequences of an embezzlement conviction is the stigma associated with this type of charge. Any future employer who looks at a person’s criminal record may regard them as being untrustworthy. That perception lasts for a significant amount of the individual’s life. Even if someone has completed their jail time or probation, the conviction stays on the record permanently. Every time they apply for a job, a background check shows their conviction.
The evidence for both sides of an embezzlement case differs case by case. The evidence a Fairfax attorney may show could prove the person did not embezzle, they had no knowledge of it, they were not in a position of power, or it was not by their position of power that they were able to do it.
Some of the misconceptions regarding embezzlement are that it always involves a significant amount of money and someone cannot embezzle by taking an item. However, taking items is a common way to embezzle. When an individual works for a store and takes goods without paying for them, they are embezzling from their place of work. This type of theft is enhanced to embezzlement since their employment position places them in a place of trust that they breach.
In some embezzlement cases, people fail to report money they are using or fail to get approved. If they have the company credit card to pay for gas, they are only authorized to pay for gas when they are on a trip specifically for the company. If they use the card to buy gas for personal trips or fill their personal car, that is considered embezzlement.
It is important to hire an embezzlement lawyer who has experience working in Fairfax since the sentencing will be done by a judge in the area. If a lawyer does not know the prosecutors and judges, they will not know what arguments work best and how to negotiate a solid plea deal. A Fairfax embezzlement lawyer could know how to defend cases in this specific jurisdiction.
An embezzlement conviction can have serious consequences. Schedule a consultation right away to begin building a defense to protect your future.