It was September 22, 1997, 9:00am…

“Will the defendant, Mr. Delroy please rise?” said Judge Greenbar. “In the case of uttering forged securities, the Government of the United States vs Joseph Delroy is straight forward. There is no trial by jury in these matters. Therefore based on the point system per the Federal guidelines which your lawyer, ahh,” he looked through his notes for the name. “Which your lawyer, Mr. Merrick has reviewed with you, taking into account the severity of your crime, embezzling $589,621.45, allowing point reductions for monies and assets returned, you are hereby sentenced to thirty-four months in federal prison…”

Oh God, what’d I do? My heart sank to my stomach. My knees buckled and I slumped back into my chair. A few moments later Merrick helped me stand.

The judge continued. “Mr. Delroy, I’m not sorry to say, but you are a greedy parasite! One who took serious advantages against the good fortunes of your employer. An employer who paid you well. An employer who through his generosity, paid, in full, a Florida vacation for you, your wife and your three children. Your family should be ashamed of you.”

I was being chastised by the judge for being insensitive towards my old employer. Was that legal? Who knew.

“Is there anything you’d like to say to your ex-boss Mr Delroy? He’s not present but I’m sure his council will convey any message.”

I was shaking like a leaf hanging from a tree on a windy day. My lawyer prepped me for this in advance. He went over what would happen in court. He made me aware of the sentence I would serve. “Because it’s a “white collar” crime, you’ll go to a Federal prison camp,” Merrick told me at one of our meetings. “There are no walls, no barbed wire, no gun towers, no murderers or rapists serving sentences there.”

Like that was supposed to make me feel better? It was still prison. “Ah, no your honor. I have nothing to say.”

The judge took off his glasses before saying, “I’m not surprised. Your actions speak volumes as to the minuscule person you are, showing no remorse what-so-ever.”  

I stared straight ahead. That was my modus operandi. 

“Okay, Mr. Delroy, your sentence will begin in exactly thirty days from today. You will self surrender to the Allenwood Prison, no later then 10:00 AM, October 22.” Hearing those same words from your lawyer is inconsequential in comparison to hearing it from the judge. It’s official, I was headed to prison. He pounded his prized gavel on the block before saying, “courts dismissed.”

I continued to stand after sentencing. Stoic. Unemotional. My mind racing through the past three and one-half years. It all started one Friday night in October 1994. One check made payable to myself for $10,000. Drawn on PNC, I cashed it out at a local branch near home. On Monday, I recorded the check in the checkbook as an advance payable to one of our suppliers. 

That’s how it started. One night. One check. One falsified check register entry. Was it worth it? Embezzling nearly $600,000 over a period of three years?

My boss drove a Porsche, owned a Range Rover, lived in a $1,000,000 home, had a condo in Miami, and was leaving for three weeks in China the next day. Of course I was envious!

I wanted what he had. I just didn’t want to work for it!