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Timestamp: 2019-04-20 16:12:55+00:00

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This page does not contain legal advice: it is provided by our Fairfax criminal lawyer for informational purposes only. If you have been charged with any criminal violation in Northern Virginia including larceny or embezzlement, we strongly encourage you to call or message us immediately to schedule a free consultation (either in-person or over the phone). Our Fairfax criminal lawyer may be able to help you, even if you live somewhere outside of Fairfax County or if the charge is in a court outside of the Fairfax County jurisdiction. We serve most of the Northern Virginia area.
We represent those confronted with criminal investigations, accusations, and/or charges in Northern Virginia. If you are accused of committing a Virginia theft-related crime, call our Fairfax criminal lawyer today at +1 888.695.6565. On this page, we discuss embezzlement in Virginia.
Fairfax Criminal Lawyer Answers: What is Embezzlement?
a loss of credibility in future court cases, among things.
We take pride in helping people through tough times. At Vincenzes Law, we never judge, because simply put, judging others is not our job. Our duty does include: zealously representation of our clients, professional legal analysis of their cases, and effective communication and explanation with regards to the options they face.
What Does the Virginia Embezzlement Law Say?
If you have been charged with embezzlement and are researching the law to determine the maximum penalty you could be faced with, the first thing to realize and understand is that speaking to a legal professional can and almost always will save you a lot of time and confusion, and you can do so for free if your charge is in Northern Virginia; this is true even if you do not hire a lawyer. Some criminal defense lawyers in Virginia offer free consultations, and if so, they may be willing to explain to you the penalties you face after assessing your facts. Our Fairfax, Virginia criminal lawyer is one such professional. We explain not only the strengths and weaknesses of a case, potential penalties, but also certain defenses if applicable…at no-cost whatsoever. There really is much more to assessing potential consequences than merely reading the specific Code sections.
Embezzlement refers to property transferred or delivered to a person who is meant to take custody, but the true owner retains the “title” to the property (legal ownership). This is sometimes referred to as “constructive possession.” This may seem like it is of little consequence, but if the property was not entrusted to the person charged, then it is a different offense.
greater than or equal to $200.
In either case, the crime is punishable by potentially lengthy jail sentences and hefty crimes.
It is considered “petit” larceny if the property is valued at less than $200, and as mentioned, a first offense is a misdemeanor. It is “grand” larceny, a felony, if the value of the property is greater than or equal to $200.
What if I Want to Dispute the Value of the Items?
If you believe the value of the items or money you have been accused of embezzling is not properly reflected on the Summons or by the charge, our Fairfax embezzlement lawyer and criminal attorney can assess your facts and give you a professional opinion.
Virginia embezzlement, if a misdemeanor, is still very severe. It is the most serious type of misdemeanor in Virginia: a “Class 1.” A judge has the ability to sentence a convicted person to up to a year in jail, and assess a $2,500 fine (or both). Practically speaking though, our Fairfax criminal lawyer can explain how you might be able to take certain steps to reach a much less severe sentence.
When a person is accused of embezzlement and it is charged as a felony, then the convicted person can be sentenced to imprisonment in a state correctional facility for at least one year, but up to a maximum of 20 years. Additionally, a fine may be assessed in the amount of $2,500.
In Virginia, embezzlement is sentenced as larceny. If convicted of larceny “or any offense deemed to be or punished as larceny,” and that person is found to have been convicted in Virginia or other state for a crime “substantially similar,” then there is a mandatory minimum jail sentence the judge must order for a period of 30 days, up to a maximum of 12 months. It does not matter whether or not the prior offense was a misdemeanor or felony.
If the convicted individual has two prior larceny or substantially similar convictions, then the offense is automatically considered a Class 6 felony. For information on Virginia misdemeanors and their varying degrees of penalties, visit our Virginia Misdemeanors page; for Virginia felonies, visit our Virginia Felony page.
Essentially, any form of personal property is capable of embezzlement in Virginia, including intangible property such as software and data. Furthermore, the law states that it does not matter that the data is not in a format “readable by humans or by a computer.” Land, or real-estate property, is not personal property. When an item is affixed to the building and is part of its essential purpose, it generally is not personal property.
the value of the property was less than $200.
the value of the property was greater than, or equal to $200.
Yes. In Virginia, to convict someone of a criminal offense, almost always the Commonwealth will have to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt, the defendant possessed a certain “mental-state.” Many laws use the words, “intentionally,” or “knowingly.” With regard to Virginia embezzlement, the Code uses the words “wrongful and fraudulent” to describe the criminal intent. As our Fairfax criminal lawyer shall discuss in a later section if a person truly believed he or she had a right/claim to the property, then it is (or should not be) charged as embezzlement in Virginia.
What does it mean to “convert” something?
Our Fairfax criminal lawyer can explain whether your unique facts amount to a “conversion.” Generally, a conversion is a term used to refer to a wrongful use or application of control over another person’s personal property. It does not always matter if the person benefiting from the wrongful use was not the defendant.
It is not embezzlement at all if the defendant truly believed in good faith that he possessed a right to the property alleged to have been wrongfully and fraudulently misused, converted, disposed of, or concealed. Embezzlement requires a lack of such good faith belief regarding the right to take the alleged action in question.
Many other potential defenses exist, but because they are so factually dependent, we do not list every possible defense on any of our informational pages. Please call our Fairfax criminal lawyer for a thorough analysis of your case.
If the embezzlement law you are accused of violating is not under Code section 18.2-111, then you may be a government employee (if charged under 18.2-112), or someone in custody of public funds. If you are accused of violating the Code section 18.2-111.2, then the case likely involves an employer as the defendant.
Another Virginia Code section labels the “misuse of public assets” a Class 4 felony in some cases if it involves value in an amount greater than $1,000 in a period of 12 months. Specifically, this law (section 18.2-112.1) applies to full-time employees of the Commonwealth of Virginia or any city/town/county/subdivision. If the public funds or assets were used for a legitimate government interest, however, such facts may provide for a valid defense.
There may be even more subtle nuances to a theft-related charge, including aspects related to the defendant’s record, whether or not the defendant is an entity, or others. Whether your charge or accusation is related to embezzlement as a felony or misdemeanor, it is not a good idea to rely on information on the internet, regardless of the source. If charged, you deserve an analysis by a professional.
Our focused Fairfax criminal lawyer can help you or your loved one understand the true nature of the crime alleged, why the Commonwealth might be pursuing the charge as opposed to a different charge or no charge at all, and what it will cost for you to hire our Fairfax criminal lawyer.
Failed to make a payment of the money withheld for purposes of court-ordered child support.
If you are an employer and are charged with violation of this law, ask our Fairfax criminal lawyer whether your case is truly embezzlement as described by Virginia Code 18.2-111.2.
Is it a criminal offense to borrow someone’s vehicle if they gave their consent on some other occasion? What about if the consent to borrow their car was communicated improperly and there is simply a misunderstanding? These questions relate to the “unauthorized use” law found in The Code of Virginia, section 18.2-102.
Taking a vehicle or boat (or aircraft, animal, or vessel) when the owner is not present, and when the owner has not provided consent, is a Class 6 felony. However, the borrower of the property must not have had a criminal intent to permanently deprive or steal the vehicle, boat, aircraft, animal, or vessel. The intent must have been only to “temporarily deprive” the owner of possession. Usually this charge is a Class 6 felony, because the nature of a vehicle, boat, or other item covered by this law almost always is worth more than $200. But, if the facts are such that the value is actually less than $200, it is a Class 1 misdemeanor instead of a felony.
Consent is not assumed to have existed, nor is it presumed to have been implied solely based on the fact that a person was given consent to borrow a vehicle on a prior occasion.
What if I was A Passenger and Not the Driver of the Vehicle?
It is a good idea to meet with our criminal defense firm to take advantage of our free consultation if charged or accused of committing any theft offense, including embezzlement. We strongly encourage you to setup a no-obligation appointment with our firm even if you did break the law and think a guilty verdict is inevitable given the facts as you understand them. Why does it matter? It matters because we can potentially work to negotiate a relatively positive outcome even in light of negative factual circumstances.
[iii] McBride v. Commonwealth, No. 1947-02-4, 2003 Va. App. LEXIS 428 (Ct. of Appeals Aug. 5, 2003).
[iv] Keselica v. Commonwealth, 24 Va. App. 115, 480 S.E.2d 756 (1997).
[v] Magouirk v. Commonwealth, No. 2768-97-1 (Ct. of Appeals Nov. 24, 1998).
[vii] Webb. V. Commonwealth, 204 Va. 24, 129 S.E.2d 22 (1963).
Simmons v. Commonwealth, 219 Va. 181, 247 S.E.2d 359 (1978).
§ 18.2-111.2. Failure to pay withheld child support; embezzlement.
§ 18.2-112. Embezzlement by officers, etc., of public or other funds; default in paying over funds evidence of guilt.
§ 18.2-112.1. Misuse of public assets; penalty.
§ 19.2-245. Offenses committed without and made punishable within Commonwealth; embezzlement or larceny committed within Commonwealth; where prosecuted.

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