Wyandotte man pleads guilty to embezzlement-related charges against former employer
A Metro Detroit man has pleaded guilty to 10 felony charges relating to the theft of more than $166,000 from his former employer.
Jason Garza, 45, of Wyandotte, entered the plea Monday in Wayne County Third Circuit Court, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said. Sentencing is scheduled for March 13.
Garza was charged in June and bound over to stand trial after a September hearing on three counts of embezzlement, three counts of using a computer to commit a crime and four counts of failure to file income taxes.
Authorities say the charges relate to activity during 2021 and 2022 while Garza was employed by Montway Auto Transport in Canton Township. The attorney general's office said he offered customers "unauthorized discounts" if they paid him directly through peer-to-peer mobile payment apps.
The plea agreement conditions include prosecutors seeking at least two years in prison. Garza also agreed to pay full restitution to the Michigan Department of Treasury, Montway LLC, and Travelers Insurance, amounting to more than $500,000.
"When employees steal from their employers, they jeopardize not only the victimized businesses but also the livelihoods of their coworkers," said Nessel. "I am grateful for the investigative efforts of the FBI that uncovered these thefts, and for the prosecutors in my office who are committed to protecting Michigan residents, businesses and customers alike, from fraud and theft."