Dumb crime
from
The Miami Herald
bq. Many people view a jury-duty summons as a hassle.
bq. Investigators say Todd Lorin Nelson saw it as an opportunity for six months of paid vacation, courtesy of the taxpayers of Miami-Dade County.
bq. Nelson, 33, an employee of the county clerk's office for 13 years, was arrested Thursday and charged with grand theft and official misconduct by falsely claiming to be on federal jury duty for six months. He collected $17,388.47 in pay during that time.
bq. Nelson was summoned to federal jury duty April 7, but the court wound up not needing him. Still, he told his bosses he was serving on a jury, the county inspector general's office said.
bq. ''They accepted what he said,'' inspector general Christopher Mazzella said.
bq. He would drop by his office from time to time to pick up his pay stubs.
bq. 'During these visits, his co-workers noted he was always rushed and would state that he was `at lunch,' 'on break' or 'needed to get back to jury duty,' '' investigator Jennifer Chirolis wrote in the arrest report.
Posted by DaveH at December 5, 2003 12:14 PM