Net54baseball.com Forums - How did charlie samuels (mets gu thief) get a slap on the wrist?

I know this is "old news", but I thought it deserved a review. I heard about the Mets 'Equipment Manager" in 1993 stealing tons of game-used items that he sold all over the country from a few different area card dealers. I saw this guy they were referring to often when I lived in Pt. St. Lucie from 1990-1994 (I'm assuming this was CHARLIE SAMUELS). You really couldn't miss him in his Mets uniform; he was short like 5'8", stocky with awful glasses and looked quite young to have that position in the early 1990's.
HOW DOES HE ONLY GET PROBATION AND MINOR RESTITUTION???

NEW YORK POST 4/16/12

"Ex-Mets clubhouse manager Samuels sentenced to five years probation"

By Social Links for Christina Carrega-Woodby
Published April 16, 2012, 5:38 p.m. ET

"A former Mets clubhouse manager (CHARLIE SAMUELS) who admitted to lifting over $2.2 million of team equipment and memorabilia was sentenced this morning to five years probation.
Charlie Samuels, 55, of Arverne, was ordered by Queens Supreme Court Justice Fernando Camacho to finish making $50,581 in restitution payments to the DA’s office for the investigation as well as the state and city in back taxes.
“The defendant had a dream job any Mets fan would die for — and he blew it,” said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.
Although Samuels pleaded guilty in February to two-counts of criminal possession of stolen property and two-counts of tax fraud, he still claims he was given the items “legitimately.”
The disgraced clubhouse man was facing 8 1/2 to 25 years in prison if he was convicted, but could still face jail time if he violates probation or doesn’t repay all the cash."

"Samuels’ attorney Michael Bachner told the judge that his client will be out of town regularly for other business opportunities in New Jersey and Florida — he didn’t elaborate what kind of business.
Samuels made a down payment of $24,955 to the Mets and during his five year probation he is expected make monthly payments to the Amazins.
Over his lengthy career with the Mets, he hoarded 507 uniforms, 828 bats, 304 caps, 22 battling helmets and 10 equipment bags in a friend’s basement in Connecticut.
He was also banned for life from any Mets facilities including Citi Field and the spring-training facility in Port St. Lucie, Florida."

CHARLIE GETS A SLAP ON THE WRIST; especially when the guy below gets 4-years in Federal prison.

NEW HAVEN REGISTER 1/12/17

"NEW YORK >> A New Jersey man who admitted to forging the signature of a Major League Baseball executive as part of an office equipment leasing scam will serve four years in federal prison for the crime.
A federal court judge in Brooklyn sentenced 41-year-old Michael Conway on Wednesday after the Verona man pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud last February.
Conway forged the signature of New York Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon on phony lease agreements and bilked more than $4.5 million from an individual investor and a financial company.
Officials say Conway pocketed most of the money, which he used to party in luxury suites at Citi Field.
Conway blamed his behavior on drug and alcohol abuse. He now must pay $4.7 million in restitution to his victims."