Man convicted of keeping accidentally mailed wages

BLOOMSBURG, Pennsylvania (AP) -- A man who applied for a temporary position at a nuclear power plant but was not hired has been convicted of theft for refusing to return $2,194 in wages that were accidentally mailed to him because of a paperwork mistake.

Edward Woodland Jr., 34, faces up to seven years in prison after being convicted Friday. During his trial he maintained that he worked at the Susquehanna nuclear plant throughout the disputed period in 2003.

Officials at PPL, an electric utility and the plant's operator, testified that Woodland attended only three days of screening and testing for a position as a temporary cleanup worker. He failed to pass a background investigation and was told he could not be employed, arrest papers said.

www.cnn.com...

"Why should I pay it back? I earned it," Woodland told the jury.

Woodland showed a county jury paperwork indicating that he had gone through initial training and been given a temporary security pass that limited him to offsite work.

Darryl Zdanavage, a security representative for the utility, said Woodland was issued a temporary worker's badge that got him to the offsite training area. That low-level clearance would have barred him from work he claimed to have done at several protected areas on site, he said.

Company officials told the court the checks, ranging in net pay from $580 to $606, were sent after a form removing unsuccessful applicants from the payroll wasn't processed.

Woodland, who spent three months in jail following his arrest, remains free on bail until sentencing.

I love it !!! This guy actually thinks he should get to keep the money.

You'd be amazed at what people think they are entitled too. I work at a bank and occasionally (once in a blue moon) will a processing error put extra money in someone's account. They are real gung-ho about crying "Its your mistake, I'm keeping the money" until they are reminded that its against the to law to profit from those type of errors.

Oh jeez...

You mean I can get in trouble for all those times my work has screwed up and gave me double the wage on 100 + hours?

I'm still not saying anything.

Bah...when it's MY error I won't get any damn money back...neither should banks or employers.... I say he should get to keep it...their screw up...

I agree Gaz.

They can think of this as a fine for incompetence.

when it's MY error I won't get any damn money back

Interesting, this just came to mind, I remember a while ago when I was depositing my pay check I put in something like $438 when my check was for $483 (I wish I had direct deposit.). anyways, the bank corrected my error, and gave me the money back!

I guess they have to account for all their money, or something.

It is my understanding that anything I receive in the mail unsolicited is mine. That's why I keep a lot of that stuff they send me in the mail, expecting a donation of some sort. I can certainly see how this is a different matter and that any honest individual would want to correct the error.

I can't believe anyone would risk seven years in jail for such a measly sum of money. They should put this guy's picture in the dictionary next to the words, idiot, weasel, flake, creep, dirtbag....

[edit on 04/9/27 by GradyPhilpott]