Accused and Charged with Embezzlement for Stolen Items

Syc4507 · #1 02-02-2009, 02:57 PM

Question for laws in Jackson, Mississippi; I worked for a delivery company like UPS, and I was accused for taking items and arrested. When I bailed out was fired and they refused to pay me my paycheck and the charge was changed from grand larsany to embezzlement. The items I being accused for were less than 5000.00, is that consitered embezzlement and what could I do in this situation. Syc4507

seniorjudge · #2 02-02-2009, 02:59 PM

What statute were you charged under?

Syc4507 · #3 02-04-2009, 12:25 PM

Im not sure.

aaron · #4 02-04-2009, 12:31 PM

If you stole items entrusted to you by your employer, that's normally sufficient to support an embezzlement charge. For example,

Quoting Mississippi Code § 97-23-19. Embezzlement; by agents, bailees, trustees, servants and persons generally.

If any person shall embezzle or fraudulently secrete, conceal, or convert to his own use, or make way with, or secrete with intent to embezzle or convert to his own use, any goods, rights in action, money, or other valuable security, effects, or property of any kind or description which shall have come or been entrusted to his care or possession by virtue of his office, position, place, or employment, either in mass or otherwise, with a value of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or more, he shall be guilty of felony embezzlement, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in the custody of the Department of Corrections not more than ten (10) years, or fined not more than Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00), or both. If the value of such goods, rights in action, money or other valuable security, effects, or property of any kind is less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), he shall be guilty of misdemeanor embezzlement, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in the county jail not more than six (6) months, or fined not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or both.

You should consult a criminal defense lawyer.

gigirle · #5 02-04-2009, 12:44 PM

Get a lawyer and YESTERDAY. Felony charges are as serious as a heart attack. Your likely to have to serve some jail time. Expect full restitution and heave fines as well. The reason that they changed from larceny to embezzlement is because you were an employee.