Minnesota Man Gets 3-Plus Years For Embezzlement

MANKATO, Minn. (AP) -- A former Le Sueur man who pleaded guilty to a federal embezzling charge has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison.

Sixty-three-year-old Delroy Joseph Sand Jr. was also ordered to pay nearly $650,000 in restitution to the retirement funds of his former employees.

Sand was the trustee for the savings plan at Hecla, which provided adult foster care and offered mental-health services.

Prosecutors accused Sand of stealing money from the company's retirement funds to support a gambling habit.

A Free Press of Mankato report quotes defense attorney Manny Atwal as saying his client denies the allegations.

Federal guidelines called for a sentence of 41 to 51 months in prison. Sand received a 41-month sentence, although Atwal asked the judge to consider a lighter sentence.

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