Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita, III announced that 47 year-old Paul Blarr of 127 Manser Drive in the Town of Amherst pleaded guilty as charged to two counts of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, before Erie County Court Judge Michael Pietruszka. These were the highest charges for which the defendant could have been convicted had he gone to trial, and encompasses a total of 128 victims.  This disposition is in addition to Blarr’s May 9, 2014 plea of guilty as charged to eleven felonies covering 89 victims. These are the highest charges for which the defendant could have been convicted had he gone to trial. In other words, Blarr has now been twice prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.   

Blarr, an Amherst jeweler, conducted business through two companies, “RSNP Diamond Exchange” and “Amherst Diamond Exchange,” admitted that between January 1, 2004 and March 22, 2014, he sold counterfeit jewelry including faux diamonds to 26 additional victims. He also admitted that he accepted items from 102 victims to sell on consignment, but failed to do so. 

Blarr faces up to fifty years in state prison when he is sentenced on January 12, 2015 by Judge Pietruszka.

The case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Brian P. Dassero, who is assigned to DA Sedita’s Financial Crimes Bureau, and John Doscher, Chief of the Financial Crimes Bureau.  DA Sedita lauded the efforts of the Amherst Police Department in professionally investigating the case and bringing a measure of justice to the victims.