Longtime law firm employee who stole at least $150K gets 2 years for tax evasion
A 40-year employee of a Pennsylvania law firm was sentenced Friday to two years in federal prison after admittedly embezzling at least $150,000 from McDonald Snyder & Lightcap beween 2007 and 2010.
Debra Feather, 64, was sentenced after pleading guilty in a federal income tax evasion case in August, the the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
The Latrobe firm contends $300,000 went missing between 1998 and 2010, when Feather, who worked there as a secretary, bookkeeper and office manager, was fired. It is attempting through state court civil litigation to get its money back from Feather.
The theft was discovered after Feather broke her leg and was put in traction at home. Because she couldn’t come into the office, a partner finished up writing payroll checks and discovered the missing money, the newspaper reports.
Feather’s lawyer had sought probation in the Pittsburgh case, pointing to her anxiety, depression, diabetes and lack of a prior criminal record, the Tribune-Review reports.
But U.S. District Judge Arthur J Schwab wasn’t persuaded.
“This sentence reflects the seriousness of your offense,” he told Feather at Friday’s sentencing. “The fact you worked 40 years plus at the law firm and gained the trust to eventually be promoted to office manager and still committed these acts over a period of years underscores your deceptive motive.
“You violated the trust your superiors placed in you by stealing and violated the law by falsifying your tax returns,” Schwab said.