Jacksonville, FL (November 18, 2018) – Officials at JEA Gym discovered that one of the managers had been violating the JEA Secondary Employment Policy by receiving a gym membership for over five years, for free.
Back in April 2017, Jacksonville’s Office of Inspector General had received a complaint concerning poor gym management and an excessive amount of work required to operate the facility. After a thorough investigation, officials discovered that Eric Petty (operations manager for JEA) completed a flexible schedule for work and his job did not require gym maintenance.
Based on the report, Petty openly admitted that he did not pay for his gym membership. For each period, JEA gym employees who use the facilities pay $5 per period. Over the course of five years, Petty had saved an estimated $755. As part of the guidelines, voluntary employment in return for a benefit is not covered in the JEA policy.
Further investigations revealed that Petty had used the JEA computers for personal use, not for work, and purchased supplies that exceeded his racked up gym membership costs in price.
Meanwhile, his wife Michelle Petty was also being investigated for a similar incident at the gym. Local news sources confirmed she had drained $3,000 from the gym’s bank to pay credit card bills and used $11,000 (including funds for her credit card) in gym funds for her personal gain.
Later, Michelle Petty was charged with felony grand theft.
Theft Crime in Jacksonville
As outlined in Florida §812.014, a theft crime is a situation where a person takes or uses a piece of property owned by another person to prevent the rightful owner from having access to this property for a personal advantage. Depending on what kind of property was stolen, the charges can vary from petit theft (1st and 2nd degree) or grand theft (1st, 2nd, and 3rd degrees).
If you have been charged with a theft crime in the State of Florida, time is precious. If you are convicted, you could face severe fines or possible jail time, and your record will be permanently changed due to these charges. Here at Musca Law, we combine 150 years of criminal defense experience and can provide a detailed and quality case on your behalf. For more information, contact us today at (888) 484-5057.