A New York City court employee has been charged with stealing more than $163,000 worth of payments for fines and tickets.
Carlos Sanchez was indicted Tuesday on charges including grand larceny and falsifying business records.
Prosecutors say the 36-year-old Sanchez's job as a court office assistant included sorting money orders and cashier's checks intended to pay fines.
They say he stole hundreds of checks and money orders between January 2015 and February 2017 and deposited the funds into his own accounts.
The Manhattan district attorney's office says that because of Sanchez's actions, at least five people were arrested for fines they had already paid.
Sanchez pleaded not guilty and was ordered held on $25,000 bail.
Sanchez's lawyer, Verena Powell, said she had no comment beyond her client's not-guilty plea.
