First Assistant Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Flaherty, Jr. announces that that 57 year-old Joan Joyce of 4386 of Manor Lane in the Town of Hamburg was arraigned in Erie County Court on a sealed indictment charging her with one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree and five counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree.

It is alleged that Joyce embezzled $263,135 while working as the bookkeeper for ECC Electrical Construction. Joyce allegedly wrote checks to cover her credit card bills (which included Chase, Capital One, Discover Card, Merrick Bank and Barclay Card), to cover a loan with Sheffield Financial Services, for computer purchases, for a down payment on a 2014 Toyota RAV4, and to finance her gambling habit.  

Financial Crimes Bureau prosecutor Brian Dassero noted in open court that Joyce has a prior felony Grand Larceny conviction in connection with a theft from her previous employer, Lakeshore Metals. Accordingly, Dassero asked that the defendant be remanded into custody. Erie County Court Judge Thomas P. Franczyk rejected the recommendation, and suggested that ADA Dassero make another one. ADA Dassero’s alternative $263,135 bail recommendation -- which is the amount of money allegedly stolen -- was denied, and Judge Franczyk set bail at $50,000 cash or bond. The defendant posted bail and has been released from custody.

If convicted of these crimes, Joyce faces a maximum prison sentence of 7½ to 15 years in state prison. 

Like all defendants accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.