Manteca man indicted in embezzlement of nearly $1 million

MANTECA -- A 33-year-old Manteca man on Wednesday was arrested on suspicion of embezzling more than $950,000 from the Stockton management company where he worked.

A federal grand jury on Nov. 21 indicted Chris Barna on 20 counts of embezzling from his employer, M&C Association Management Services Inc., which provided association management and developer services to community associations in Northern California.

Barna was responsible for the company's account and collections departments.

From April 2008 through May 2011, Barna misappropriated 342 checks payable to M&C or its parent company, or payable to third parties from M&C, federal prosecutors said.

Barna deposited these checks into various bank accounts, then manipulated the company's financial records to conceal the fraud, the prosecutors said.

If convicted, Barna faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine for each count.