The Sixth Circuit upheld a lengthy prison sentence in a white collar case involving bank fraud. The defendant was a manager of a federal credit union when she began embezzling money by complex manipulation of ledgers. She pled guilty to stealing $1,528,000 and to money laundering because she structured the deposits of the money she stole to evade IRS reporting requirements.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed her 78 month prison sentence after agreeing that the district court appropriately enhanced her sentence for sophisticated means, jeopardizing the soundness of a financial institution and abuse of a position of trust. The application of these enhancements more than doubled the defendant's sentence.
This case underscores the importance of retaining experienced federal criminal lawyers who are experts at applying the Federal Sentencing Guidelines and persuading courts not to apply specific offense characteristics.
