A former Glendale councilman who was sentenced to one year in county jail after his guilty pleas of embezzlement, perjury and filing false tax returns will now serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.

Because these crimes are classified by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as nonviolent and nonsexual, the amount of time actually served is almost immediately cut in half.  This policy is part of the new realignment guidelines meant to curb inmate overcrowding in the California state prison system.

Mr. Drayman, the defendant, will have to wear an ankle bracelet and be monitored by the Los Angeles County Probation Department.

If you are facing criminal charges for a nonviolent and nonsexual crime, it is important to know what other options are available to you besides serving time in county jail.  Electronic monitoring, or “house arrest,” is a common resource used by attorney Ross Erlich to avoid having clients lose their jobs or family.  Typically, electronic monitoring is an alternative to actual custody and is available either prior to a conviction as pre-trial release or after a conviction.  This means that house arrest usually occurs, in a sentencing capacity, after someone has plead guilty and sent to county jail.  Individuals are then screened for eligibility upon their arrival and factors such as prior criminal history, nature of the current charges and personal background are taken into consideration.

There are many options in resolving a theft or fraud case in Los Angeles.  Just because you were arrested for, and charged with, a felony, does not mean that you are going to wind up with a felony conviction on your record.  Victim restitution can be a large factor in attorney Ross Erlich’s ability to get the charges reduced or even dismissed through a civil compromise with the court.  Additionally, convictions for theft, fraud or embezzlement are crimes of “moral turpitude.”  These convictions can have severe consequences in terms of keeping or securing employment and protecting any license from the state.

If you have been arrested for, or charged with, fraud, embezzlement or theft in Los Angeles, Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena, Downtown, Santa Monica or Beverly Hills, contact attorney Ross Erlich today to discuss all of your options.  Attorney Ross Erlich handles all theft and fraud cases in the Airport Court, CCB Court, Pasadena Court, Glendale court and all other fraud and theft charges throughout Los Angeles County.