Former Bank Employee in North Carolina Faces Embezzlement and Forgery Charges

A former employee of the Fifth Third Bank in Lincolnton, NC has been arrested and charged with embezzlement and forgery after taking money from a customer’s account and blaming the fraud on another customer.

Jeffrey Dean Etchison, Jr, 33 years old, reportedly forged a savings account slip and withdrew about $2,000 from an elderly victim’s savings account. Ten days after the fraudulent withdrawal, the elderly customer reported that money had been stolen from his bank account, and the bank called police to investigate.

Etchison reportedly told police that another bank customer had made the illegal withdrawal. Investigators took surveillance footage and began investigating the false suspect. However, when police finally interviewed him, they determined that he was a witness and not the perpetrator.

After police brought Etchison in again for questioning, he reportedly admitted to the embezzlement and forgery.

He was arrested on Tuesday, September 2nd, for identity theft, embezzlement and forgery of an instrument, uttering a forged instrument, and obtaining property under false pretense. He was released from Lincolnton County Jail on a $25,000 bond.

Embezzlement Charges in South Carolina

Embezzlement refers to the theft of money or property by an individual who was trusted and responsible for handling the money or property of another party, a white-collar crime that commonly occurs in corporate settings.

Embezzlement cases are rarely clear-cut, as the accused are the ones expected to have handled the assets that were embezzled. Simple human error or oversights could lead to wrongful embezzlement.

For an individual to be convicted of embezzlement, the prosecution must prove:

1.     The defendant manipulated resources illegally

2.     The victim entrusted the defendant with these resources that were allegedly embezzled

3.     The defendant intended to deprive the owner of these resources

4.     The defendant acquired access to these resources through his/her employment.

Embezzlement charges carry severe penalties. The defendant risks ruining his reputation and loss of employment even if they are later found not guilty of the crime. Punishments for those convicted of embezzlement can include fines, imprisonment, probation, payment of compensation and loss of legal rights among other potential punishments.

The Strom Law Firm Defends Against Embezzlement Charges

If you have received white collar criminal charges, you could lose your job, and your reputation. White collar criminal charges, including embezzlement of public funds, are serious crimes with serious consequences. The Federal criminal defense attorneys at Strom Law Firm, L.L.C. include a former United States Attorney, a former public defender, a former Assistant Attorney General and Richland County Assistant Solicitor, as well as a tax lawyer familiar with IRS criminal investigations.

The firm has developed a particular skill not only in litigating criminal cases, but also in resolving them discreetly, and often at the very early stages of the investigation.  Pete Strom has had extensive experience in major criminal cases and investigations involving issues of securities fraud, derivatives trading, antitrust and price-fixing, mail and wire fraud, RICO, tax fraud, customer fraud, and other business violations.

The Strom Law Firm aggressively defends individuals on all criminal charges in all State and Federal Courts in South Carolina as well as the Federal Courts in Georgia. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so do not hesitate to contact us. 803.252.4800.