Ukiah Woman Pled No Contest to Charges of Embezzling Over $200,000 From Her Employer
Press release from the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office:
A Ukiah woman entered eight guilty pleas Wednesday in an embezzlement case involving more than $200,000, according to Ukiah Police.
Sonia Lucia Lau, 36, was charged following a police investigation that began in June 2017.
Lau was scheduled Tuesday to have a preliminary hearing in Mendocino County. Instead Lau chose to withdraw not guilty pleas and admit criminal culpability.
Lau was formally convicted by no contest pleas of eight separate felony counts of grand theft by embezzlement from her former employer, Ammo Plus. She also admitted a special sentencing allegation that the eight counts involved a pattern of related felony conduct and that that pattern involved an overall taking greater than $100,000.
Under California law a no contest plea to a felony charge is the same as a guilty plea for all purposes. In essence, however, a no contest plea denies guilt but in the same breath also acknowledges that the prosecution has sufficient evidence available and at its disposal to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Tuesday, in providing a factual basis for the defendant’s no contest pleas, the DA summarized for the court the defendant’s embezzlement scheme that began in April 2014 and continued through April 2017, a scheme which resulted in an overall unlawful taking by defendant Lau of at least $204,492.
Once the convictions were entered into the record, the defendant was referred to the Mendocino County Adult Probation Department for a social and background study, and a sentencing recommendation.
A sentencing hearing will be held at 9 a.m. Jan. 26, 2021. Any individual interested in the outcome of this case is invited to attend. Social distancing and facial coverings are required in the courthouse and will be enforced.
Based on her admissions, the defendant’s “prison” exposure is up to 92 months in the Realignment County Prison (aka the Low Gap jail facility), without subtracting out the fifty percent early release credits that are automatically granted by California law to all inmates.
As an aside, it should be noted that the Legislature has made defendants sentenced to prison for felony embezzlement convictions a county problem; such defendants are ineligible to be housed in a state prison no matter the overall amount of the unlawful taking.
The law enforcement agency that conducted the investigation underlying the defendant’s convictions was the Ukiah Police Department. Special thanks are extended to UPD Officer Ron Donahue for his doggedness and many hours of investigative work.
District Attorney David Eyster prosecuted the case.
Mendocino County Superior Court Judge Carly Dolan on Tuesday accepted the defendant’s no contest pleas. Judge Dolan will be the sentencing judge on January 26th.
Pending sentencing, defendant Lau remains out of custody on a written promise to appear.
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
92 mo max, divided by 2, equals 46 mo max.
$204k divided by 46 mo max, equals a minimum of $4400 a month. More monthly for every month she’s released earlier than that.
Restitution? Doubtful.
That’s a pretty decent living; a lot of people’d take that offer. Are we really sending a message here?
In a cash business, you gotta watch your employees…
[edit]
I bet there is a lot more to this story, that nobody will ever hear…
Remember, don’t let your employees run your business! Even family members will remove the cash, if you are not watching…
My Grandfather always said (when he was sober), “your employees will steal you blind, and if you catch them, they might burn you out”…
Yes we are. The message we are sending is that crime pays. And most times you never get caught. And even when you do the sentences are mild and you get to chill out watching TV and reading books while you are sheltered and fed. I am sure she will be telling all the ladies in Low Gap with her all about it so they can also make sure to learn this wonderful message! Her in-house seminars will be sponsored by taxpayer funding…
i think your maths off.
No look hes right
Whats a “social and background study”?
If you google California Rule of Court 4.411.5 it outlines the scope and purpose of a pre-sentence investigation report.
She worked for me, happy times, I paid her well, I will be reviewing my tapes, and books. However she was worth it
Probably another “end justifies the means” leftist thief….
No one on the right ever steals, huh?
Haha, the biggest thieves are white collar criminals, politicians, police officers and CEO’s, in Mendocino County the biggest thief who has stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars in the form of asset forfeiture dollars stolen from your neighbors and community members.
If she does 4 years, it will be more than most violent criminals get in Mendocino County. So, yes, you are sending a message.
I remember going into Ammo Plus; they didn’t seem to make a lot of money there. They guy in the wheel chair also didn’t need to get ripped off….
Wonderful to see all California cons get 50% of their time cut ‘just because’
What the hell is this communist bullshit??
Do not go into ownership of a cash business without a lot of experience managing other peoples cash businesses. (such a working for a chain)
I had a large restaurant/tavern for many years but used systems, controls, policies and procedures to eliminate the possibilities of theft.
Still, a couple of idiots tried to steal and when the systems, controls, policies and procedures caught them, I prosecuted. I insisted that I be reimbursed prior to their release.
The business was successful for many years until I sold for a nice profit on purchase price and retired.