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Former California public worker facing embezzlement charges

Prosecutors in California have filed felony charges against a 29-year-old woman who allegedly embezzled about $38,000 from the San Miguel Community Services District. The woman reportedly took the money while working as a bookkeeper for the Community Services District between February and November 2015. Attorneys from the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office filed the charges on Oct. 5.

Investigators from the office’s Public Integrity Unit investigated the case, but initial reports do not provide details of the investigation or reveal what led authorities to suspect that the woman could be misappropriating public funds. They also do not mention what the woman is alleged to have used the embezzled money for.

The woman faces up to four years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 for violating Section 424 of the California Penal Code. She will also be prohibited from holding any sort of public office in the state if she is convicted. The Community Services District provides residents with services including water and wastewater management, fire protection, solid waste collection and lighting.

Proving criminal charges beyond all reasonable doubt can be difficult for prosecutors when bookkeepers or accountants are accused of embezzlement or fraud. This is because it is not always easy to establish that the defendants in these cases intended to take money and did not simply make mistakes. Prosecutors may also find it difficult to keep juries engaged and attentive when ledgers and other accounting documents account for most of the evidence being presented. This is why prosecutors are often willing to negotiate with criminal defense attorneys to reach a negotiated settlement in cases involving white-collar crimes.

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John Patrick Ryan has been practicing law for over 20 years. Experienced in criminal law. U.S. Navy Veteran.

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