A prosecutor in Bay County is pursuing an embezzlement charge against a former sales manager for HP Forklift Inc in Buena Vista near Saginaw, Michigan.

Assistant county prosecutor Jordan E Case alleges that Raymond L Webber, 48, defrauded businesses in Bay, Saginaw and Tuscola counties in transactions beginning in April 2009.

Webber faces one count of embezzling less than USD20,000. Proceedings in Bay County Circuit Court began on 28 April, and a jury trial before Judge Joseph K Sheeran is scheduled to start on 30 August in Bay City.

Defence attorney Jeffrey Day of Bay City says that Webber denies the charge and believes the HP Forklift owners want to pressure him because of a pending civil lawsuit.

Allegedly, Webber arranged for the Munger, Michigan facility of agricultural product supplier Crop Production Services Inc to trade in a used forklift for USD1,000 toward the purchase of a new forklift.

According to court records, Webber subsequently traded the used forklift and an electric pallet jack to the Mayville, Michigan site of wood processor Northern Log Supply in exchange for construction of a deck at his home in Flint, Michigan. Northern Log Supply processes cedar and pine for siding, trim, paneling and railing applications.

HP Forklift terminated Webber in November 2009 and, a week later, called authorities after a Northern Log Supply official requested the pallet jack that had not been delivered.

The forklift business was established in 1989 as HP Lift and Loader Inc and operates as HP Forklift Inc providing industrial and construction equipment rental, sales and service to customers. In its regional markets, the business represents TCM forklifts and various brands of lift equipment including Genie from Terex Corp, JLG from Oshkosh Corp and Skyjack from Linamar Corp.