DETERMINATION OF EMBEZZLEMENT PENALTY

SB 155 changes how New Mexico calculates penalties for embezzlement - when someone intentionally takes property entrusted to them - by allowing courts to combine multiple small incidents over a 12-month period. Instead of treating each embezzlement as separate, courts will add up the total value taken within any consecutive 12 months. Penalties then increase based on the total amount: under $250 is a petty misdemeanor, $250-$500 is a misdemeanor, $500-$2,500 is a fourth-degree felony, $2,500-$20,000 is a third-degree felony, and over $20,000 is a second-degree felony. This affects anyone convicted of embezzlement in New Mexico, altering how courts determine sentencing severity.