Howell Attorney Sentenced on Embezzlement ChargesHowell Attorney Sentenced on Embezzlement Charges

12/13/12 - A Howell attorney will serve no additional jail time after entering a plea to charges that she embezzled from her clients. 45-year-old Christina Heikkinen was sentenced to 100 days of time already served today by Livingston County Circuit Court Judge Michael Hatty, who also ordered her to serve three years of probation. Heikkinen pleaded no contest last month to a single count of embezzling between $1,000 and $20,000. A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing purposes. In exchange for her plea, prosecutors agreed to dismiss a second count of the same and recommend Heikkinen not serve any additional time behind bars. A restitution hearing was set for January 28th. Heikkinen was accused of embezzling $18,000 from a 40-year-old West Branch man in May of 2009 as well as $3,000 from a female client in December of 2006. Heikkinen still faces narcotics possession charge in Wayne County and a charge of 3rd degree retail fraud in Oakland County. The status of those cases is unknown. (JK)