New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Jamie Woodward today announced that Tracy Staerr, 42, of 219 Schad Road, Alden, was sentenced Thursday by Erie County Judge Shirley Troutman to a five month local jail term and five years probation for embezzling from her former employer and failing to report personal income tax.

Staerr, a former bookkeeper for SL Installations, Inc., an Elma company, pled guilty in June to fourth-degree Grand Larceny and offering a False Instrument for Filing.  Staerr wrote company checks to herself between February 2007 and January 2008 and failed to report the income on her state income tax.

Prior to sentencing, a bank check for $30,000 restitution was handed over to SL Installations, Inc. and Staerr paid the state tax department $1,665.

While this was Staerr’s first offense, the court was compelled to sentence her to jail time, since she had previously embezzled funds from another former employer. Staerr was not prosecuted for that crime after she made full restitution. 

Acting Commissioner Woodward said, “The Tax Department is committed to pursuing all tax cheats, from blue collar workers to high-wage earners in the medical and legal fields.  Regardless of how they cheat, these scofflaws force all other New Yorkers to shoulder a greater share of the tax burden, taxes that pay for essential services such as health care, education and transportation.

“The Department offers programs such as the Voluntary Disclosure and Compliance Program to encourage delinquent taxpayers to become compliant without facing criminal prosecution or civil penalty. It is hoped that this case will encourage such taxpayers to come forward and satisfy their tax obligation.  For more information about these programs, go to the Department’s website at www.nystax.gov.”

Acting Commissioner Woodward also thanked Erie County District Attorney Frank Sedita and Assistant District Attorney Gary Ertel for their aggressive prosecution of this case.