Valencia, CA — As a society we take a dim view of white collar crime. Not just because of the theft, but because of the breach of trust involved. Embezzlement, fraud, forgery, and identity theft all require the perpetrator to lie or misrepresent themselves somehow. We want to believe that our employees, elected officials, and anyone we do business with is acting in good faith, and high profile stories about white collar crimes cases undermine that belief by reminding us that a number of people engage in duplicitous and deceitful practices for the sake of personal gain.
On Wednesday, Jared Snyder, 44, pleaded not guilty to seven felony charges, four counts of grand theft and one each of embezzlement by a public officer, embezzlement by a private officer, and misappropriation of public funds. Prosecutors allege that Snyder, who previously worked as a baseball coach at Valencia High School, stole thousands of dollars from the Associated Student Body and the team’s booster club in order to pay off private expenses between 2008 and 2013.
District officials began to suspect that Snyder was embezzling when an audit showed discrepancies suggesting that Snyder had requested reimbursements from the ASB for expenses that he had not incurred. Snyder also allegedly set up a bank account meant to redirect funds from a booster club that raised funds from players’ parents. According to a 10 month investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Snyder used $7,000 from the fake account to pay off his credit card debt, and stole $8,000 through fake reimbursement requests to the ASB. The maximum sentence for the charges against Snyder is six years and eight months.
From the massive data breach which affect Target, Neiman Marcus and other retailers, to the recent revelations of embezzlement in Pasadena, white collar crimes are increasingly the subject of media scrutiny. A conviction for fraud, embezzlement, or identity theft doesn’t just mean potential prison time or heavy fines, it can also put a permanent stain on your reputation, severely limiting your career prospects in the future.
If you’ve been charged with a crime, the most important thing you can do is to hire a criminal defense attorney as your representative. A skilled attorney can help you navigate the various hearings and interviews leading up to trial, and advise you on how best to deal with law enforcement and the prosecution. It can be frightening to face criminal charges, but a skilled attorney can make the process much less of a hassle.
At the Law Office of Michael L. Guisti, we’ve helped hundreds of clients to have the charges against them reduced or dismissed. We’ve been practicing criminal law for over 16 years, and we’ve built up a formidable reputation as one of Orange County’s toughest defense firms.
With offices in Garden Grove, Irvine, Santa Ana, and Newport Beach, we’re able to better serve local state and federal courthouses and maintain a strong presence in the community. We’re proud to represent clients throughout Southern California and to better serve our clients we offer foreign language assistance as needed.
So if you’ve been charged with a felony or misdemeanor, call an Orange County embezzlement lawyer at the Law Office of Michael L. Guisti at (714) 707-2797 for a free consultation.
Sources:
Ryan, Kennedy. “Ex-Valencia High School Coach Accused of Embezzling Funds Intended for Baseball Program, Players.” http://ktla.com/2015/01/20/ex-valencia-high-school-coach-accused-of-embezzling-funds-intended-for-baseball-program-players/. KTLA 5. 20 January 2015.
Serna, Joseph. “Former Valencia High School coach charged with embezzlement.” http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-valencia-embezzlement-charges-court-20150121-story.html. Los Angeles Times. 21 January 2015.
