A 42-year-old man allegedly used a state-issued credit card and charged almost $95,000 while working at the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services. According to his records, the man recently faced a theft charge for stealing between $10,000 and $100,000. The MAGO worked with the Maryland State Police to investigate the crime.
The accused man supposedly used the credit card fraudulently between Jan. 18, 2011 and Feb. 29, 2012 when he worked at the Victor Cullen Center, a juvenile treatment facility, as the food administrator. He may face a sentence of up to 15 years in prison along with a $15,000 fine if he is convicted of the crime.
While committing a crime can lead to serious consequences, those penalties can be enhanced when someone in a position of trust abuses their position for their own personal gain. The accused man also faces the loss of his job, career and personal reputation because of the pending criminal charges.
A criminal defense attorney might possibly be able to help clients by ensuring that their constitutional rights are protected. The attorney may try to work out a plea agreement and look at alternatives to time in prison so that clients can receive the least-possible punitive sanction. They may review a number of mitigating factors, such as stability in the community, in order to argue their case. If the prosecution will not agree to a plea, the attorney might take the case to trial and defend the client before a jury.
Source: Herald-mail.com, “Hagerstown man charged with using credit card to steal $95,000,” April 11, 2013