Man who had embezzlement charge dismissed faces new charges
Oral Molden
Courtesy of the WCSO
The 47-year-old Lima Township man who had an embezzlement charge dismissed earlier this year was arraigned Sunday on four similar charges connected with the same case, police said.
Oral Molden was arrested Saturday and arraigned Sunday on charges of false pretenses over $20,000, false pretenses between $999 and $20,000, making or permitting a false tax return and malicious use of a telecommunications service, according to court records.
Oral Molden was released on a personal recognizance bond. He is due back in court Jan. 3, police said.
Oral Molden had been charged with embezzling $20,000 or more. That charge was dismissed at a preliminary examination on April 24 because there was insufficient evidence to bind it over to circuit court, AnnArbor.com has previously reported.
Prosecutors were unavailable for comment due to a holiday break, but Sgt. Geoff Fox of the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office said the charges are related to the previous case.
Oral Molden's wife, Janice, faces charges in the same case. Police think the couple illegally obtained $250,000 from A2 Auto Glass in Scio Township over a period of 3 ½ years.
Janice Molden, 45, was a bookkeeper for the company. She is charged with embezzling $100,000 or more, embezzling $25,000 or more, embezzling more than $999 but less than $20,000 and three counts of using a computer to commit a crime. She has a final pretrial hearing scheduled for Jan. 16 in Judge Archie Brown's courtroom.
Investigators have said Oral Molden did computer work for the company.
When Janice Molden appeared in court in September, her public defender, Laura Dudley, hinted that a plea deal could be in the works.
A trial date of Jan. 28 has been scheduled for Janice Molden.
John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Heady99
Fri, Dec 28, 2012 : 2:15 p.m.
These folks have not pled guilty nor have they been to trial yet - please let the system do its job! Rushing to judgment hurts everyone - they have teenage kids please watch what you say! They are really a great family who has suffered greatly due to this situation - not everbody charged with a crime is guilty of one!
Mr. Ed
Tue, Jan 1, 2013 : 11 p.m.
Lets wait and see? But you assume they are innocent. I'm sure the business has suffered greatly as well.
Terrin
Thu, Dec 27, 2012 : 10:55 p.m.
As another commentator said, the US has the highest incarceration rate than anyplace in the world. The tax payer has to pay for it. I for one am OK with non-violent crimes doing very little jail time. The world is better served with the people working to pay fines off. Moreover, the system is broken anyway. For instance, HSBC recently admitted to intentionally laundering billions of dollars of drug cartel money. The bank was just forced to pay five weeks of its profit as a penalty and accept some government supervision. Meanwhile, if regular people get convicted of selling drugs, not only will they likely do jail time, but they might lose everything they own, like their house.
Tru2Blu76
Fri, Dec 28, 2012 : 2:55 a.m.
Sounds like another case of "too important to fail" doesn't it? ;-) Sorry about your wallet, BTW. They catch you off guard with such bold lies, don't they? Personally: I'm preparing for the Dishonesty Apocalypse (as probably predicted by either the Bible or Mayan Calendar.)
nickcarraweigh
Thu, Dec 27, 2012 : 9:44 p.m.
Just for the record, folks, the US has had the highest documented incarceration rate in the world since 2002. We're still #1!
Dcam
Fri, Dec 28, 2012 : 12:53 p.m.
Being #1 is good. One of the hallmarks of a well-functioning society is how fine its police forces are and the quality of its prisons. One 1800s past president told a tale of a man surviving a shipwreck. Riding some flotsam, he washed ashore at some unknown place and prayed that he hadn't landed among savages. As he walked along the beach looking for shelter, he came upon a gallows with a man hanging from the rope. The castaway tearfully fell to his knees giving thanks that he'd landed in a civilized country.
Mulberry Bank
Thu, Dec 27, 2012 : 8:33 p.m.
So, exactly what does it take to go to jail?
Tru2Blu76
Fri, Dec 28, 2012 : 2:49 a.m.
Or - being declared "mentally competent" - a rare occurrence in today's "We Support the Mentally Ill" courts. (They seem to have a policy which favors ALL those charged with crimes being declared "incompetent." Which makes me wonder - how can they be incompetent and still plan & carry out these crimes?) Too many whack-jobs running loose - some of them commit atrocities but the "attitude" goes on. IMHO.
Basic Bob
Thu, Dec 27, 2012 : 11:24 p.m.
Brandishing a weapon and shooting holes through walls at an illegal card game. Stabbing your boyfriend with a large kitchen knife (sometimes) Living east of US-23
DBH
Thu, Dec 27, 2012 : 10:28 p.m.
Well, for one thing, being found guilty of a crime.
Laura Jones
Thu, Dec 27, 2012 : 9:45 p.m.
poverty
tomnspats
Thu, Dec 27, 2012 : 9:19 p.m.
Steal a $300.00 car and you will be put in jail.Very few white collar crimes do any prison time. When they do go to prison it is usually a country club prison.
Elaine F. Owsley
Thu, Dec 27, 2012 : 8:24 p.m.
There seems to be an awful lot of this kind of crime in Washtenaw County. Every time you turn around, someone is being charged. Must be there's a school for scoundrels along with all the other educational institutions.
music to my ear
Tue, Jan 1, 2013 : 6:43 p.m.
well first time offenders are let go with a plea deal,they have to pay the money back but only in payments the people they steal from cannot get any money back if they are in jail,also this seems to be a trend with mostly women.so no shame to their game. only they have to face their family who obliviously they have no respect for.
zip the cat
Thu, Dec 27, 2012 : 7:27 p.m.
@Honest Abe This particular court!! ANY court room in this county will let you walk scott free with little or no time or sentence of any severity. I'll be shocked if either of them gets anything other than a no nothing sentence
DBH
Thu, Dec 27, 2012 : 10:33 p.m.
@zip the cat, so shocked that you'll "fall down and die" or "eat [your] hat?" I'm not sure you should trust your instincts any more than you did in the Kevin Warren case.
Honest Abe
Thu, Dec 27, 2012 : 6:41 p.m.
I sense a harsh punishment is heading their way, based off of previous sentences issued in this particular court. Molden can at least expect a harsh scolding from the judge, and you better believe he will be told to never do this again! Followed by a ruler slap to the knuckles and will be forced to stand in the corner for half an hour. Justice will be served!
Paul
Thu, Dec 27, 2012 : 7:26 p.m.
Lets have the courts find them guilty first, last time it could not even make it to trail.