According to a Sept. 4 report, a woman who worked as a secretary for a Texas-based company was charged and sentenced for allegedly stealing approximately $1 million. She was received a 10-year prison sentence after she pleaded no contest in a plea deal in June.
The woman reportedly began working at Advitech Inc., a medical-related business, in 2009. Court documents allege that the woman cashed out approximately 24 checks, including some that were in the amount of $150,000. She was accused of using the funds for her personal expenses. The owner of the company claimed that the accused woman’s actions directly caused his company to go under.
In addition to the prison sentence, the woman was also required to pay restitution, though the amount was not reported. Sources indicate that she could have faced life in prison for the felony theft conviction.
The state of Texas takes theft charges extremely seriously. For instance, a convicted individual could receive a long prison sentence and be required to pay a large amount in restitution. Moreover, a theft conviction may also make it very difficult for individuals to seek employment once they are released in prison.
A criminal defense attorney could assist in disputing the charges in a number of ways. For example, if there were problems with the investigation, a defendant’s attorney could possibly have the charges dismissed. This may include police failing to follow proper protocols when making an arrest or officers infringing on the rights of the accused. Otherwise, the attorney may also assist by negotiating a plea bargain that reduces the consequences of a conviction.
Source: KXAN, “Ex-secretary in Texas gets 10 years for theft“, September 04, 2014