Virginia Federal Embezzlement Lawyer

In Virginia, federal embezzlement is a serious offense that is often accompanied by severe consequences such as fines and jail time. For this reason, it’s important that you have legal representation on your side to ensure that you are putting forth the best possible defense. By contacting an experienced Virginia federal embezzlement lawyer you are taking the first step toward minimizing the harm of an embezzlement charge. Call today to set up a free consultation to discuss your case with a federal criminal defense attorney in Virginia.

Difference Between Embezzlement and Theft

Although embezzlement is a theft crime, it is different from standard kinds of theft in the sense that it’s a misappropriation of funds that are placed in a person’s trust or belonging to a person’s employer.

The classic example of this would be a bank teller lifting $20 bills out of the drawer. This would be considered embezzlement because the bank teller was placed in a position of trust to handle that money and they violated that trust by taking it.

General theft, on the other hand, does not require the element of trust. So, in other words, if a person walks up to a cash register and takes money out of it when someone is not looking, then that’s theft. If that same person is the clerk at the store and he takes the money when no one’s looking, then that’s embezzlement because you were placed in a position of trust by the employer. If you are unsure of whether the charges you are facing are considered theft or embezzlement contact a Virginia federal embezzlement lawyer to provide clarification.

Federal Embezzlement Charges

There are quite a few federal embezzlement charges and offenses. The prevailing theme in all of them is whether the allegations involve money that has to do with the federal government or whether allegations involve federally insured money, which is, of course, in banks. Generally speaking, the allegations have to involve public money, property, or records.

In contrast, the amount allegedly taken weighs not upon the charge but rather upon the type of sentence. Much like the federal drug sentencing guidelines, the federal fraud and theft based sentencing guidelines contain a sliding scale that assigns more points to a given crime based upon the lost value which is the money that was taken.

Therefore, if you are accused of embezzlement you may want to contact a Virginia federal embezzlement lawyer to find out which charge you are facing as embezzlement charges depend on several circumstances including the source of the money and the amount that is taken.

Penalties for Federal Embezzlement

As mentioned previously, the penalties you face for federal embezzlement charges largely depend on the amount that is alleged to have been taken. All of these cases result in a computation of federal sentencing guidelines and the base offense. The amount that’s alleged to have been taken can significantly increase the recommended sentence. So if the sum of money you’re accused of taking is high you should consider contacting a federal embezzlement lawyer in Virginia as soon as possible, as you could be facing significant penalties.

Of course in addition to the source of the money and how much you took, some other things can factor in such as whether there are multiple people involved and whether this person had a larger role or more minimal role in the offense. Beyond these, there are lots of other aggravating or mitigating factors as well that need to be scored on a case by case basis. A Virginia federal embezzlement lawyer will be able to look at the facts of your case and find the other mitigating factors that could potentially impact the outcome of your case.

Hiring a Virginia Federal Embezzlement Lawyer

Due to the lengthy jail sentences and large fines those convicted of embezzlement face, it is in the best interest of those accused to contact a Virginia federal embezzlement lawyer as soon as possible. An embezzlement lawyer will be able to take into account the defendant’s side of the story along with the facts of the case, and develop the strongest possible defense. If you or someone you know has been accused of committing embezzlement in Virginia, contact a Virginia federal embezzlement lawyer today to set up a free consultation and discuss your legal options.