U.S. v. Crundwell

Dist. Ct. did not err in sentencing defendant to 235-month term of incarceration on wire fraud charge that concerned long-term scheme by defendant to embezzle approximately $53 million from City of Dixon, Illinois while defendant was its Comptroller. While defendant argued that she deserved lower sentence due to fact that she had provided extraordinary assistance to officials in returning $10 million in assets to City, and due to fact that she would 77 years old when released from prison under current sentence, Dist. Ct. could impose instant sentence where: (1) defendant had initially been less candid about size and time length of embezzlement scheme; (2) citizens of Dixon had been psychologically harmed due to lack of public funds for extensive period of time; (3) defendant’s sentence was within her life expectancy; and (4) Dist. Ct. could properly find that longer sentence was required due to need for deterrence.