Judge Sentences Probationer To Prison For Theft And Home Contractor Fraud

Part of being an adult is realizing that you are not perfect.  Sure, there are plenty of social media influencers who tell you that they start every morning with a homemade smoothie made of organic fruits, almond milk, and protein powder.  You used to do that, but now you are too broke to replenish your supply of protein powder, so on good days you eat a banana before rushing out the door to work, and on bad days, your breakfast is a Snickers bar.  Sometimes you cancel dentists’ appointments at the last minute, just because you are too tired to go all the way to the dentist’s office on your day off from work.  You procrastinate cleaning your house until you find out that guests are coming.  You accept your cousin’s offer to smoke a joint with him, even though you are supposed to clean your house tonight and you have to work tomorrow.  These things only make you human, but if you are on probation, they can get you into big trouble.  No probation judge, not even the one who made Meek Mill’s life a nightmare for the better part of a decade, will throw you in the slammer just for eating junk food for breakfast, but almost any of these other mundane missteps could count as a probation violation.  If you are in legal trouble because of allegedly violating the terms of your probation, contact a Pittsburgh criminal defense lawyer.

Even a Minor Mistake Can Count as a Violation of Probation

When you are on probation after a prison sentence, the feeling of freedom can be exhilarating, but one is only one small mistake away from another prison term.  The law is watching your every move, and if you violate any of the terms of your probation, the judge can send you back to prison.  Most probation violations are not crimes in the strictest sense of the word.  Judges set probation conditions on an individual basis, and breaking one of these arbitrary rules can get you in trouble.  For example, quitting your job is not a crime, but if the judge orders you to stay employed, then quitting your job counts as a probation violation.

In the News

In 2015, Ryan Blumling of Moon began a 63-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to fraud; he sold investments that did not exist, causing 130 investors to lose money.  He was released in 2021, at which point he began his three years of probation.  In 2024, however, the judge ordered Blumling to return to prison for 40 months.  In addition to petty theft and writing a bad check to a steakhouse, he promised two of his neighbors that he would renovate their houses and driveways, but even though they each paid him a deposit, he never began the work and never returned the money.

Contact Gary E. Gerson About Criminal Defense Cases

A criminal defense lawyer can help you if you are facing accusations of violating your probation.  Contact the law offices of Gary E. Gerson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about your case.

Source:

unionprogress.com/2023/09/27/convicted-moon-con-artist-up-to-old-tricks-once-again-u-s-probation-says-and-heads-back-to-federal-prison/