An Indiana police officer is charged with eight counts of theft, and he wants us to believe that it was an accident every time.
Clarksville police officer Joe Hoskins, 36, allegedly stole more than $5,800 from the Clarksville Little Generals Youth Football League and explained it by saying he didn’t mean to do it, claiming it was just a mistake. Actually, 8 mistakes as he is accused of using online banking to transfer money from the league to his account on eight separate occasions, reported News and Tribune.
He has been placed on unpaid suspension, and is accused of conduct unbecoming of an officer and unlawful removal of funds. Clark County prosecutor Jeremy Mull charged him with eight counts of theft, resulting in his arrest.
Hoskins was the treasurer for the Clarksville Little Generals Youth Football League, which gave him access to the league’s money earned through ticket sales, concession sales and fundraisers.
From June 2016 to February 2017 Hoskins transferred $5,840 to his own personal bank account through online banking.
But in July 2017 the president of the league noticed and confronted Hoskins about the missing money. Hoskins returned the money a month later.
But the district attorney’s office still conducted an investigation.
The misappropriation of funds that Hoskins exhibited prompted Clark County Prosecutor Jeremy Mull to file eight counts of theft against Hoskins.
“All of the evidence presented to me in this case is that these were initiated on purpose using a phone or a computer. Paying back money after you’re caught stealing it is no defense if that indeed happened. Stealing or embezzling money is not a situation where you’re allowed to just take it, take it, take it until you’re caught,” he said.
“Stealing or embezzling money is not a situation where you’re allowed to just take it [and] take it until you’re caught and once you’re caught saying I’ll pay it back — no harm no foul,” Mull said. “That’s not how I prosecute such cases.”
Mull examined bank records and discovered that the money was intentionally transferred to Hoskins’s account over time.
The first was for $500 and went towards Hoskins’s car payment. After that the transaction amounts grew.
The next court date for Hoskins is Nov. 7th.
Source: http://countercurrentnews.info