Pocono News Section

Bloomsburg Woman Sentenced on Theft Charges

Bloomsburg Woman Sentenced on Theft Charges - Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 5:24PM EST

Reported by: Kyla Campbell
Thursday, Jun 18, 2009 @ 05:24pm EST

BLOOMSBURG, COLUMBIA COUNTY -- Melissa Pratt pled guilty to theft charges last month and was sentenced Thursday to one to two years in state prison.
Melissa and her husband, Randy, were charged with keeping an accidental bank deposit of more than $177,000. The banking error happened when the couple deposited $1,770 at FNB Bank on Main Street in Bloomsburg, right next door to the courthouse.
Bloomsburg police tell Eyewitness News the Pratts wrote checks to themselves $10,000 at a time. They say the Pratts took out $50,000 to buy a house in Florida. Investigators also tell us, the couple donated more than $30,000 to a charity in Florida and their church in Orangeville.
Columbia County District Attorney Gary Norton says, as of now, the couple isn't responsible for those charity donations as part of restitution.
"Because they were considered bona fide recipients, the charities have the right to the money," said Norton. "It's not part of the criminal case, but a civil lawsuit could be filed."
Melissa Pratt was ordered to pay more than $122,000 in restitution on top of her one to two year state prison sentence.
Randy pled not guilty to theft charges. The jury selection for his trial is set for mid-July.