Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita, III announced that as the result of a seven-month long investigation by his office, 44 year old Debra Davis of 5859 Java Lake Road, Arcade, pleaded guilty, as charged, this morning to Grand Larceny in the First Degree, Falsification of Business Records in the First Degree and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, before Supreme Court Justice Penny M. Wolfgang.  These are the highest charges for which the defendant could have been convicted had she gone to trial. 

Davis admitted that during the period between October 1, 2010 and September 10, 2012, while employed as a bookkeeper for American Stainless Corporation, 1374 Clinton Street, Buffalo, she stole approximately $1,300,000 by embezzlement and falsifying company financial records. Davis also admitted that she evaded paying state income tax by failing to report these ill-gotten earnings on her New York State Income Tax returns. Davis used the money to purchase various consumer goods, gamble and to buy a tow-truck business, naming it “Triple Star Towing” after her favorite slot machine game.

The case was successfully prosecuted by financial crimes prosecutors Candace K. Vogel and Gary M. Ertel, Assistant District Attorneys assigned to the Special Investigations and Prosecutions Bureau of the Erie County District Attorney’s Office. DA Sedita also praised the efforts of DA investigators Joseph Riga, John Abraham, Anthony Constantino, and Mark Stambach.

Davis faces up to 25 years in state prison when she is sentenced before Justice Wolfgang on July 22, 2013 at 9:30 a.m.