Former Calif. Fleet Manager Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement
A former City of Palm Springs, Calif., fleet services manager has pleaded guilty to embezzlement and was sentenced to three years of probation.

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A former City of Palm Springs, Calif., fleet services manager has pleaded guilty to embezzlement and was sentenced to three years of probation, Patch reported.
Steven Dewayne Rakestraw misused city funds by having work performed on his personal vehicles, including purchasing parts and having his vehicles painted and maintained in the spring of 2016. Investigators also found a city tractor and vehicle parts and documents on his property.
Police began an investigation in 2016 after the director of Maintenance and Facilities discovered the issue. Additionally, the city manager engaged fleet consultant Mercury & Associates to conduct a thorough review, according to an earlier city release.
Related: Former Calif. Fleet Manager Faces Embezzlement Charges
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