A Le Roy mother accused of stealing $6,200 from a nursery school where she served as treasurer will spend five years on probation, Judge Robert C. Noonan ruled this morning.
Jennifer M. Riggi, 29, of 47 Lake St., Le Roy, will also serve on community work details each weekend for the next two months.
Riggi, speaking hoarsely and softly, said in halting sentences, "I admit it was wrong. I feel awful that it happened. It's a mistake I made."
On Feb. 27, Riggi plead guilty to grand larceny, 4th. As part of her plea deal, she was required to make restitution prior to sentencing, which she did.
Meg Roberts, president of the board of directors for the school, said Riggi's actions were harmful to the school.
"We trusted you to help run the school for our children and your children as well," Roberts said. "You completely misled us that you had the best interest of the children at heart.
"You had direct knowledge about how misappropriating funds would hurt the school and our ability to pay our teachers. I never would have expected another mother to steal from our school."
Noonan said he really didn't understand Riggi's motivation.
"When I read the presentence investigation on somebody who violated the trust of an institution or organization that vested them with (financial responsibility), I'm really trying to look for a reason why," Noonan said.
"Some would do it often times because of drug or other substance abuse issues. Sometimes it's a gambling problem. Sometimes it's a drastic change in financial circumstances. Often times people say, as you did, that they intended at the time to return what they took and just got in over their heads.
"But with a spouse who has adequate income so that you're not forced into the position where you must steal to feed your children, it does suggest a real character flaw. That is something you are going to have to deal with, not just for the period of probation term, but for the rest of your life.
"What could make you feel that you could go and take money just because it was available to you, I don't understand," Noonan concluded. "It's not my job to understand it. It's just a curiosity to me."
Adding 2 + 2 and getting an
Adding 2 + 2 and getting an answer of 5 is a mistake. Spelling a word incorrectly or a typo is a mistake.
Stealing is not a mistake. It is a crime. I'm getting sick and tired of criminals referring to their crimes as mistakes.
Mistake- an error in action,
Mistake- an error in action, calculation, opinion, or judgment caused by poor reasoning, carelessness, insufficient knowledge, etc. ....Technically, it was a mistake...one im sure she regrets. Nobody was hurt, no lives were changed forever...she will serve her punishment and it will be over with. Forgiveness is divine!
Many times in my life I
Many times in my life I thought I could get away with something or other and escape unscathed. I was mistaken.
crime noun \ˈkrīm\ Definition
crime noun \ˈkrīm\
Definition of CRIME
1: an act or the commission of an act that is forbidden or the omission of a duty that is commanded by a public law and that makes the offender liable to punishment by that law; especially : a gross violation of law
2: a grave offense especially against morality
3: criminal activity <efforts to fight crime>
4: something reprehensible, foolish, or disgraceful <it's a crime to waste good food>
— crime·less \-ləs\ adjective
See crime defined for English-language learners »
See crime defined for kids »
Examples of CRIME
She paid dearly for her crimes.
evidence that helped them solve the crime
He was punished for a crime that he didn't commit.
the recent increase in violent crime
Being single is not a crime.
There's no greater crime than forgetting your anniversary.
Origin of CRIME
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin crimen accusation, reproach, crime; probably akin to Latin cernere to sift, determine
First Known Use: 14th century
Related to CRIME
Synonyms: criminality, lawbreaking, lawlessness
Antonyms: noncrime
Related Words: outlawry; gangsterism, hooliganism, racketeering; malfeasance, misconduct; wrongdoing; evil, immorality, sin, wickedness; corruption, depravity; malefaction, misdeed, misdoing, offense (or offence), transgression, trespassNear Antonyms: blamelessness, faultlessness, guiltlessness, impeccability, innocence, irreproachability; goodness, morality, righteousness, virtue, virtuousnesssee all synonyms and antonyms
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Other Legal Terms
actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi
2mistakenoun
Definition of MISTAKE
1: a wrong judgment : misunderstanding
2: a wrong action or statement proceeding from faulty judgment, inadequate knowledge, or inattention
See mistake defined for English-language learners »
Examples of MISTAKE
It would be a mistake to assume that we can rely on their help.
There must be some mistake.
The manuscript contains numerous spelling mistakes.
There's a mistake in the schedule.
“When does the movie start?” “At 8:00. No, wait—my mistake—it starts at 8:30.”
Nowhere in the definition is the word mistake used as a synonym for crime, nor is crime a synonym for mistake. Technically, it was not a mistake. Jennifer Riggi willfully stole money that did not belong to her. People are not arrested for making mistakes. Mistake is word used by criminals and lawyers to lessen the gravity of what has been done. Furthermore, I'm confident that she regrets getting caught. As for forgiveness being divine, I will leave it to the divinities to forgive.
However, Matt, I do commend you for standing by your wife.
LOL....u go girl!! we should
LOL....u go girl!! we should put her in jail for life...damn criminal! It's a good thing u spoke out against this woman, this criminal, the world is much safer now that u have drawn attention to her. Also, she's not my wife.
Matt, you are speaking of
Matt, you are speaking of forgiveness in a land of revenge. I worked with an older man who bought a truck with a cashback deal that he could not afford, just because of the cashback deal. He said: I just like to feel the money in my pocket and hold it for a little while. Maybe she was like him, I know I really liked him.
Matt, I'm sorry I assumed the
Matt, I'm sorry I assumed the woman was your wife.....that being said, you've read a lot into what I have said. I only wish to make one point. That is, a crime like that is NOT a mistake. It is a crime. I've never said anything about the sentence, or that the world would be safer. When someone commits a crime, it is a crime. Why is that so hard to understand?
Lol...u have completely
Lol...u have completely missed my point. You're right though, a crime is indeed a crime, and this could not have possibly been an error in judgement.
Janice - I respect your right
Janice -
I respect your right to have your own opinion, and years ago may have completely agreed with you. However, I do not think life is always that black and white. Although, I realize that laws, etc. need to be for a variety of reasons. Kudos that you have never faced a situation where the wrong choice would have been a criminal act.
She knew she was wrong when
She knew she was wrong when she did it. The only thing she's sorry about, and the only "mistake" she made, is getting caught.
Hi Lisa, The reason I'm so
Hi Lisa, The reason I'm so rigid on this point is that I worked for 25 years with juvenile delinquents. It didn't matter what crime they had committed....manslaughter to possession of a roach. Almost all of them said they made a mistake. Only the ones who were willing to call their crimes "crimes" had a chance at rehabilitation.
The rest of my views are pretty liberal. I oppose the death penalty. I believe in a woman's right to control her own body. Anyway, I enjoy thoughtful debate, so thank you all for your opinions.
Janice, We have all
Janice,
We have all background and even current sources that lead us to where our beliefs are. Thank you for being open minded to the opinion of others. Your stand is appreciated and respected, as I believe you were of mine. I concur, great debate.