Woodstock man accused of embezzling $50K gets accelerated rehab
norwichbulletin.com
By John Penney
20 September 2018

DANIELSON — Over the objections of prosecutors, but with the support of his victims, a 37-year-old Woodstock man who is accused of embezzling more than $50,000 from a local condo association was granted an accelerated rehabilitation program on Thursday.

If Derek Jette abides by the strictures of the two-year diversionary program – including not taking any position that entails financial responsibility – the first-degree larceny charge against him will be dropped.

Inside Danielson Superior Court, Assistant State’s Attorney Jennifer Barry said her office objected to the granting of the program based on the amount of money stolen over a long period of time.

“This was systematic embezzlement by a person in a fiduciary trust position,” she said. “The stolen money was spent on food, gas and alcohol.”

Jette’s lawyer, Christian Sarantopoulos, said a recent civil judgment pegged the amount of money stolen at $52,453. He said his client used his retirement savings to pay the association more than $95,000, including various costs and fees.

Sarantopoulos said the “genesis” of the crime was Jette’s alcohol addiction.

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