Benson Woman Sentenced to 21 Months in Federal Prison for Wire and Tax Fraud

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that on January 17, 2012, Pamela Natoli, 54, was sentenced to serve 21 months in federal prison after she pled guilty to wire and tax fraud charges. U.S. District Court Judge William K. Sessions III also ordered Natoli, who lived in Benson, Vermont while she was committing the offenses, to serve three years of supervised release following her prison term. Natoli must also pay full restitution to her victims.

Natoli faced a prison sentence of up to 20 years on the wire fraud charge and up to three years on the tax fraud charge. Judge Sessions found that Natoli’s recommended prison term under the federal Sentencing Guidelines was between 27 and 33 months. In sentencing Natoli to a term of imprisonment six months below that range, Judge Sessions considered, among other factors, Natoli’s remorse, her efforts to provide restitution to her victims, and her lack of a criminal record.

According to court records, Natoli was employed as a personal assistant by Ms. Frances Bull from November of 2006 until she was fired in October of 2009. During most of that time, Natoli was, on average, stealing thousands of dollars from Ms. Bull every month. Typically, Natoli would write checks from Ms. Bull’s bank account to pay Natoli’s own credit card bills. Ms. Bull is an artist who was operating a gallery in Brandon, Vermont during the time of the offenses. In all, Natoli stole approximately $230,000 from her employer.

While she was embezzling money, Natoli filed false income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service. Specifically, Natoli failed to report the proceeds of her criminal conduct as taxable income.

United States Attorney Tristram J. Coffin commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service, and the Brandon Police Department for their hard work on this investigation. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Timothy C. Doherty, Jr. The defendant is represented by Attorney Barry Griffith from the Rutland law firm Griffith & Lundeen.