topic Re: Is This a Fair Sentence? in Community Chat

Is This a Fair Sentence?

PickyPicky3 — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 02:58:35 GMT

A 58-year-old Pennsylvania bookkeeper embezzled $127,271.61 from her employer to feed her shopping addiction. She got caught and received a plea deal of two years probation by coming up with a $60,000 cashier's check and agreeing to pay $750/month restitution. The full amount must be paid back by the time probation ends.

The woman said she would have access to her retirement funds in a year and would be able to pay off the remainder.

Is this punishment for a crime or a no-interest loan? Would someone without access to that level of cash have ended up in jail?

Her employer agreed to the deal as she had worked for him for seven years.

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

Kachina624 — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 02:54:03 GMT

Well, as long as it was for a shopping addiction, I understand and think it was fair.

NO!!! She got off too easy. She should have done some hard time.

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

Sooner — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 02:59:22 GMT

It's between her and her employer. I won't fault forgiveness and will give her employer credit for being kind.

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

Mz iMac — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 02:59:34 GMT

Is this punishment for a crime or a no-interest loan?

Both

Would someone without access to that level of cash have ended up in jail?

YUP!

Sentence is fair because she is able to refund 100% of what she stole.

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

chrystaltree — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 03:05:42 GMT

Her employer agreed to the deal because he wanted his money back. My guess is the judge and the prosecutor went extraordinarily easy on her because she's a middle class white woman who was able to make restitution. Although the $60K is probably part of the money she stole. She wasn't held to the same standard that a man or person of color would have been held to. 2 years probation is what a shoplifter who stole a sweater would get. I do think letting her off with no punishment to speak of is disgusting but I also understand that the employer wanted the money back.

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

Venezia — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 03:05:43 GMT

If she's a bookkeeper, I might be wondering if she'd embezzled from anyone else. Also, how she had that amount of ready cash, but still needed to steal from her employer to feed her "shopping addiction".

Any term in there about having to go to "Shoppers Anonymous" to cure her addiction?

No, I don't think it's a fair sentence. People have been jailed for far less and just because she could come up with some of the cash doesn't excuse the crime.

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

gertrudecloset — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 03:16:46 GMT

Much of this sounds kind of strange to me. So....she couldn't have paid the employer back even if she went to jail? Most people can do that if they have the funds (whilst she sits in a jail cell). Bernie Madoff's people are still being recompensed for the damage he caused and where is he?

This has nothing to do with the Employer. The State should have tried her for embezzlement. They don't need the employer's permission to do that. Selective justice is what it sounds like to me.

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

QVCkitty1 — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 03:21:00 GMT

@chrystaltree wrote:
Her employer agreed to the deal because he wanted his money back. My guess is the judge and the prosecutor went extraordinarily easy on her because she's a middle class white woman who was able to make restitution. Although the $60K is probably part of the money she stole. She wasn't held to the same standard that a man or person of color would have been held to. 2 years probation is what a shoplifter who stole a sweater would get. I do think letting her off with no punishment to speak of is disgusting but I also understand that the employer wanted the money back.

This is what is wrong with the justice system.

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

Carmie — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 03:49:30 GMT

I think it is fair, especially for the employer. If she went to jail, he probably would not get his money back.

As a Tax payer, I don't want to pay to keep her in prison for a period of time. She is not a dangerous criminal.

This is a personal matter between employer and employee. If the employer is okay with the plea, then I am too.

I see no reason why anyone else would want the woman to get a hard time jail sentence. I do think the employee was lucky her employer gave her a break.

I can't for the life of me see any reason why this lady would have been treated any differently if her race or gender would have been different. There is no reason to believe the employer agreed to this agreement because she was female or a non minority.

The employer and the employee could both be minorities for all we know.

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

software — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 03:51:44 GMT

It's not iike she held the employer at gunpoint for the money.

So she'll pay back the employer with retirement funds received from the employer! She worked some magic or had a great attorney.

Yeah she should at least do weekends for a while

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

Sooner — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 03:56:06 GMT

@chrystaltree wrote:
Her employer agreed to the deal because he wanted his money back. My guess is the judge and the prosecutor went extraordinarily easy on her because she's a middle class white woman who was able to make restitution. Although the $60K is probably part of the money she stole. She wasn't held to the same standard that a man or person of color would have been held to. 2 years probation is what a shoplifter who stole a sweater would get. I do think letting her off with no punishment to speak of is disgusting but I also understand that the employer wanted the money back.

@chrystaltree I think that is a biased and unfair judgment. It's an assumption just because. You haven't walked a mile in everyone's shoes.

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

Scooby Doo — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 04:29:32 GMT

Usually the judge wants the two attorneys to work together and come to an agreement. The woman offered a deal, the victim accepted, case closed. There may be extenuating circumstances that we don't know in this case. Maybe she is a single mother with minor children at home and nobody else to care for them. What good would it be to lock her up and make the kids suffer by going to foster homes. And we citizens have to pay board and room for everyone in the situation. The jails are overcrowded with fewer employees to watch over them. This is a middle class crime committed with the stroke of a pen. Jail time is usually saved for more serious crimes probably caused by gangs. We don't have the resources to put everyone in jail.

This type of crime is more common than you'd probably think. I know of someone who has done this a couple of times. No jail time involved, but some ankle jewelry and house arrest. If you want some punishment, know that it is difficult for them to find gainful employment again until they get the charges expunged.

Remember the old saying........ Life isn't fair.

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

willomenia — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 06:09:14 GMT

@Sooner wrote:
@chrystaltree wrote:
Her employer agreed to the deal because he wanted his money back. My guess is the judge and the prosecutor went extraordinarily easy on her because she's a middle class white woman who was able to make restitution. Although the $60K is probably part of the money she stole. She wasn't held to the same standard that a man or person of color would have been held to. 2 years probation is what a shoplifter who stole a sweater would get. I do think letting her off with no punishment to speak of is disgusting but I also understand that the employer wanted the money back.
@chrystaltree I think that is a biased and unfair judgment. It's an assumption just because. You haven't walked a mile in everyone's shoes.

Please stop with the race card!!

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

Tinkrbl44 — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 06:23:28 GMT

@PickyPicky3

Strange ... well, one thing's for sure ..... since she was able to conjure up $60k, she had the $$$ to hire a VERY good lawyer!

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

Big Joanie — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 10:07:21 GMT

MONEY... The root of all evil ....

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

Imaoldhippie — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 10:13:05 GMT

As long as both parties are in agreement & court approved it does not matter if anyone thinks its fair or not, its no one elses business.

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

qualitygal — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 11:17:04 GMT

They worked it out for themselves, now everyone needs to follow through. It's up to them.

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

PickyPicky3 — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 11:17:50 GMT

@Imaoldhippie In Pennsylvania both judges and district attorneys are elected. Judicial decisions are very much people's business.

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

Johnnyeager — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 11:18:27 GMT

I don't understand how posters can say " it's none of our business. "

Absurdly false.

Embezzlement is a crime against the state and therefore the people. If a prosecutor, judge, law enforcement and court were involved (the details in the post are sparse), taxpayer funds were involved.

Bookkeepers in Pennsylvania have been sentenced to lengthy prison sentences for their crimes. I suspect that the relatively small amount involved drove the deal. It's not a private civil settlement. A crime was committed and the details are public.

Does anyone have specifics on the case involved, jurisdiction, court, defendant identity?

Re: Is This a Fair Sentence?

PickyPicky3 — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 11:25:19 GMT

@Johnnyeager Find the article in the Times News (TNOnline dot com).

Warning: The Times News just put up their first paywall yesterday. I don't know how many articles you can read until you have to pay. I'm out for the interim.