Pamela M. Blood, who admitted stealing $311,000 from a 77-year-old Grand Island heiress who had hired her to manage her finances, was sentenced this morning to state prison, after Erie County Judge Thomas P. Franczyk refused to buy into an argument that a medication contributed to the woman’s thievery.
Blood, 56, was sentenced to 16 months to four years behind bars for writing checks to herself from Patricia Rupp’s accounts, in order to support her gambling addiction and finance her husband’s trucking business. Rupp hired Blood, a paralegal, to work part time for her after her husband, a construction company owner, died seven years ago.
Blood pleaded guilty last October to second-degree grand larceny and first-degree offering a false instrument for filing. She could have been sentenced to up to 19 years in prison.
Anthony J. Lana, her attorney, asked the court for a sentence of probation, explaining that Blood, who is extremely remorseful, took a prescription medicine known as Mirapex for restless leg syndrome and that one of the known side effects of the drug is that it promotes compulsive behaviors, such as gambling.
Franczyk pointed out that the “systematic” thefts began before Blood started taking the medicine. Blood has paid back $100,000 of the money she stole and is legally obligated to pay back the rest of the money she stole.
email: lmichel@buffnews.com
Blood, 56, was sentenced to 16 months to four years behind bars for writing checks to herself from Patricia Rupp’s accounts, in order to support her gambling addiction and finance her husband’s trucking business. Rupp hired Blood, a paralegal, to work part time for her after her husband, a construction company owner, died seven years ago.
Blood pleaded guilty last October to second-degree grand larceny and first-degree offering a false instrument for filing. She could have been sentenced to up to 19 years in prison.
Anthony J. Lana, her attorney, asked the court for a sentence of probation, explaining that Blood, who is extremely remorseful, took a prescription medicine known as Mirapex for restless leg syndrome and that one of the known side effects of the drug is that it promotes compulsive behaviors, such as gambling.
Franczyk pointed out that the “systematic” thefts began before Blood started taking the medicine. Blood has paid back $100,000 of the money she stole and is legally obligated to pay back the rest of the money she stole.
email: lmichel@buffnews.com