Santa Ana, Orange County - A La Habra woman was sentenced in Santa Ana on Wednesday to three years, four months in prison for embezzling $284,000 from the La Habra Fence Co. over more than five years, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
Veronica Martinez, 55, who worked as an office manager for the fence company, was also ordered to pay more than $290,000 in restitution and a $568,000 fine.
Martinez had access to company cash and all financial bookkeeping records.
Santa Ana criminal attorney Michael L. Guisti explains that the crime of embezzlement used to be a crime in and of itself, but it's now covered under California's theft laws.
Given the amount embezzled from the office this was obviously charged as grand theft, says Guisti.
The suspect also plead guilty to 51 felony counts of forgery, and, according to Guisti, forgery is when you defraud a person or business out of, money, interest in property and/or other legal rights.
In some situations multiple forgery counts can be charged either as a single charge or multiple charges, says Guisti, and if you're facing such charges this is why it's important to contact a professional attorney who can work to reduce these charges.
For the prosecution to prove you committed forgery they must show that you knowingly altered and/or created a written document and you did it with the intent to defraud the person or business, according to Guisti.
It is very important to note that all that matters for the Orange County District Attorney is that you had the INTENT to commit forgery, regardless if you didn't carry out the act or even paid the person/business back, says Guisti.
Forgery can be charged either as a misdemeanor or felony, and that mostly depends on the values of goods and the extent of the crime, along with your criminal history, says Guisti.
Embezzlement and forgery are charges that can send you to prison and ruin your reputation, which is why it is very important to contact the Orange County white collar crime attorney experts at the Law Offices of Michael L. Guisti at 888-478-8999.
We have over a decade of successfully winning cases for our clients accused of white collar crimes, because our goal is to win your case and protect your reputation.
