Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Flaherty Jr. announced that 35-year-old  Richard P. Pascucci of 64 Bowen Avenue, Lancaster, has been sentenced 4-8 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $100,000 to Bender’s Christian Store by State Supreme Court Justice Christopher Burns.

Pascucci admitted that between October 2013 and October 2015, while employed by Bender’s Christian Store, he embezzled $100,000 from the Clarence business by falsifying gift certificate records and removing the cash they represented.  

Pascucci was previously convicted of stealing money from two elderly clients when he was a financial advisor. He was also convicted of filing a false New York State tax return. 

Acting DA Flaherty commends the thorough investigative work of Inv. Dan Brinkerhoff of the Erie County Sheriff’s Department. 

Assistant District Attorney Candace K. Vogel, who is assigned to the Special Investigations Bureau, successfully prosecuted the case.