Woman sentenced in dealership theft
A Brownsville woman accused of stealing more than $500,000 from a Bentleyville car dealership was sentenced Friday to 11½ to 23 months in the Washington County jail.
Elisa Thomas, 37, was charged in October 2009 after being accused of stealing $555,359 from Tregembo Ford while she was employed there as business manager from Jan. 1, 2004, to Jan. 28, 2008.
The owners of the dealership contacted state police after discovering a large amount of money missing from accounts of the business, now Tregembo Motors. A financial analysis shows Thomas moved more than $300,000 in deposits into her personal bank accounts.
In September, Thomas pleaded no contest to one count of theft by unlawful taking before Washington County Common Pleas Judge Gary Gilman.
Prior to sentencing Thomas, Gilman heard testimony from dealership owner and general manager Barry Tregembo. Tregembo said the theft had “a great impact” on his business and forced him to relinquish his Ford franchise. Tregembo said he also had to eliminate the jobs of eight employees as a result, and the theft still affects the business to this day.
“I’ll be 76 in March. I was hoping to retire. It’s just devastating,” Tregembo told the court.
Tregembo said he suffered health problems because of the stress of the situation, including a heart attack, an unexplained kidney shutdown and a bleeding ulcer.
His daughter, Billie Jo DeForrest, also testified.
“This has been completely devastating to our family and the employees who were laid off,” she said. “And to the employees who stayed with us.”
DeForrest, who acts as assistant manager at the dealership, said she won’t forgive Thomas.
“I considered her a trusted friend,” she said. “She completely broke my heart when she betrayed me.”
Thomas did not make a statement to the court but did answer questions posed by Gilman about her financial situation. Thomas filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in 2013 and said she was limited by her bankruptcy as to the size of restitution payments. Her attorney, Dennis Paluso, said in court that Thomas has been working for a law firm in Uniontown without issue for the last six years and handles money as a part of her daily responsibilities. He asked Gilman to consider several different punishment options, including 9 to 16 months in jail.
District Attorney Gene Vittone said Thomas’ spending habits led to the theft, and he asked for more severe punishment.
“The likelihood of restitution being made is slim to none,” he said. “The family is seeking justice.”
Thomas was accompanied to court by several people, including her mother, Candi Taylor. Taylor was disappointed in Friday’s outcome and said her daughter “didn’t take the money.”
Paluso said after the sentencing that he respects the court’s decision.
In May 2012, the case against Thomas was dismissed by former Washington County Judge Paul Pozonsky after he determined the district attorney’s office failed to bring the case to trial within 365 days, as required by state court Rule 600.
The commonwealth appealed the ruling to Superior Court, which reversed the initial ruling. According to the Superior Court’s order filed Sept. 24, 2013, Thomas and her attorney filed for numerous continuances. As a result, Thomas filed her Rule 600 motion prematurely, and the trial court erred in granting her relief, court documents show.
Thomas, in turn, appealed the Superior Court ruling to the state Supreme Court, which refused to the hear the case. It was returned to local court.
In addition to the jail sentence, Gilman ordered five years of probation and a $100-a-month restitution payment. The payment amount will be revisited once Thomas emerges from bankruptcy. Thomas must repay $596,859.
Thomas, who has been free on bond for the last seven years, must report to the county jail in one week to begin serving her sentence. She was granted work release.