The Challenge
A former treasurer for a high school band booster club was accused of embezzling over $212,000 in funds over roughly two years. Because the loss exceeded $100,000, the client faced not only grand theft charges (Penal Code § 487) but the aggravated white collar crime enhancement under Penal Code § 186.11 — which adds prison time and, given the theft from a non-profit and the breach of community trust, made a significant state prison sentence the prosecution’s starting position.
Our Strategy
We focused on a mitigation strategy centered on financial restitution rather than a traditional adversarial defense. We negotiated directly with both the high school and the District Attorney’s Office to craft a realistic, structured repayment plan. By demonstrating the client’s commitment to making the organization whole, we successfully convinced the court that a custodial sentence was not the most productive outcome. The judge granted a sentence of probation and house arrest, allowing the client to maintain employment and fulfill their restitution obligations while avoiding jail time.
Media Coverage
The Result
PRISON AVOIDED; RESTITUTION PLAN SECURED
Your Case Belongs at the Southwest Justice Center.
Your Defense Belongs Here.
If you were arrested in Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, Winchester, or French Valley, your future will likely be decided at the Southwest Justice Center (SWJC) on Auld Road. In these courtrooms, local knowledge is the ultimate advantage. Since 1999, Nic Cocis has been a weekly fixture in the SWJC, appearing before the same judges and negotiating with the same Riverside County prosecutors for over 25 years. We don’t just know the law — we know the specific nuances, procedural quirks, and judicial tendencies of the Southwest District. Whether you are facing a felony or a misdemeanor, you need a firm that treats the Southwest Justice Center as its home turf.
