An eBay scam netted thousands of dollars, and lots of prison time.
37-year old Travis Winters has spent the last 17 years working at the Standard Electric Company in Kochville Township. However, according to Saginaw County‘s Chief Assistant Prosecutor, about a third of those years were also spent scamming the company, which resulted in a small fortune for Winters.
Court documents show that Winters began stealing an assortment of electronic parts from his employer about five and a half years ago, and selling them on Ebay. However, his boss eventually noticed that things weren’t adding up in the inventory department, and hired someone to look over the company’s books.
The investigator narrowed the problem down to Winters. Police were notified, and an investigation was opened. Officers later discovered that Winters had been selling the stolen items on Ebay for profit. Over the course of several years, from about January 1st, 2010 to July 2015, he managed to collect approximately $60,000 in illicit profits. In the end, the result was criminal charges.
Embezzling is a very serious crime in Michigan
In December of 2016 Winters pleaded guilty to a single felony count of Embezzling $50,000 to $100,000. Under Michigan law this is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison, and/or a fine up to $25,000.00, or 3 times the value of that which was stolen (whichever is the greater amount), or both. However, in this case Winters was very lucky.
The Judge ordered that he repay Standard Electric Company in full, which his attorney says that he has already done. In addition, he was ordered to serve two years of probation, and be placed on an electronic tether. Surprisingly, he was not required to spend even a single day in prison for a crime that usually results in at least a decade behind bars.
While we do not have all of the details of this case, we can point out that getting an experienced defense attorney will make a huge difference to how your case is handled. Financial crimes are often punished quite harshly in Michigan, and making sure that you have a skillful lawyer can go a long way towards protecting your future.
Financial crimes, including Retail Fraud, Extortion, Insurance Fraud, and Tax Evasion, rarely result in prison-free sentences in Michigan. For this reason, aggressive legal representation is critical in financial crime cases. Under usual circumstances, even a misdemeanor embezzlement conviction can result in jail time, probation, and loss of future employment opportunities.
At the Kronzek Firm, our attorneys have decades of experience that can make all the difference in cases involving financial crimes. Our seasoned lawyers work hard to avoid jail and prison for our clients. We work to preserve a client’s reputation and keep future employment opportunities open. Call us today for a free consultation at 866 766-5245. Our attorneys are available for consultation 24/7 for emergency situations, and have both daytime and evening appointments as needed.