8/19/13 - A Howell man has been sentenced for his role in an embezzlement scheme involving a locally-based General Motors contractor. 54-year-old Kevin Bowles of Howell was ordered to serve a minimum of one year and three months in prison and a maximum of 20 years. He received one day credit for jail time already served. The downward departure of sentencing guidelines was tied to a deal previously reached by Bowles with prosecutors in exchange for his testimony at trial against the said ring-leader of the group. Jeffrey Eastom was convicted by a local jury of embezzling more than $100,000 and will be sentenced August 29th. He worked as a supervisor for Ideal Setech in Howell, which housed property for General Motors at a time when it was closing plants. Prosecutors maintained that Eastom would manipulate inventory lists of machinery, tools and metal materials between March of 2008 and January of 2010, which were then sold for scrap. Bowles was one of four co-defendants in the case. They have all now been sentenced to jail time on embezzlement charges and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $471,369. (JM)
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