BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Depew woman will spend the minimum amount of time behind bars after stealing more than $719k from a Buffalo business over the course of seven years, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office announced.
59-year-old stole $719,122.41 between July 8, 2016 and Aug. 7, 2023 while working as an office manager at Lancaster Tanks and Steel Products.
On Monday, she was sentenced to just 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison. The minimum term of incarceration for the crime was 1 to 3 years in prison. “Today, my office supported the victims and asked the court to impose the maximum sentence of 15 years in prison for this outrageous crime,” said Acting Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane.
“This defendant stole over $700,000 from these victims, causing them lifechanging financial harm, and ultimately the sale of their business. Unfortunately, the court imposed a sentence close to the minimum term of incarceration.” Using the company credit card, Pirrone-Hess made more than 2,000 unauthorized purchases on items such as event tickets, vacations, her child’s college tuition, utility bills, donations to charity, furniture, jewelry and electronics.
Back in May, News 4 spoke to John and June Brennan, the family who owned the business she stole from. They said while Pirrone-Hess was paying for her children’s tuition on their credit card, they had to take out loans for their own children’s schooling. While she was going out to fancy restaurants, John brought .