An Abingdon man pleaded guilty Monday to stealing more than $4,000 from a Bel Air bank, but told the judge the theft was the result of a fraudulent job post on Craigslist.
John Beavers, 29, of the 200 block of Wood Valley Court in Abingdon, pleaded guilty to a charge of theft between $1,000 and $10,000 for cashing a fraudulent check at the Bel Air Branch of Aberdeen Proving Ground Federal Credit Union.
Beavers told Judge Angela Eaves he answered an ad on Cragslist for a personal assistant. He said he was issued a check, deposited it, and two days later cashed it so he could make purchases on behalf of his new employer.
The check, however, was fraudulent and APGFCU issued Beavers a notice the he needed to reimburse the bank.
Beavers said he had copies of emails, text messages, and receipts documenting the exchange with his employer, whom he never met.
Beavers' lawyer, Harford County Assistant Public Defender, Eric MacDonell, said his client was "left holding the bag," and Beavers understood he was ultimately responsible for the theft.
"I can't believe I fell for it," Beavers said.
Beavers added that he assumed there was no problem with the check when it cleared two days after the initial deposit.
"If it seems too good to be true it probably is," Eaves told Beavers.
She told Beavers he seemed an intelligent man and she found it difficult to believe he would not have been suspicious receiving $4,000 he had not earned from a source he had no paperwork or contract with.
Eaves determined there was enough evidence to find Beavers guilty and ordered him to pay restitution and stay away from APGFCU.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
