Pamela Smith Pleads Guilty to Woodstock Inn Embezzlement

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Pamela Smith, 57, of Barnard, pleaded guilty on March 12, 2014, in United States District Court in Burlington to a charge of wire fraud. U.S. District Judge William K. Sessions, III released Smith on conditions pending sentencing, which has been set for July 8 in Brattleboro.

On February 18, 2014, the United States Attorney filed a one-count information charging Smith with wire fraud. According to the information, between approximately 2007 and early 2013, Smith was employed by the Shire Riverview Motel in Woodstock, Vermont. Smith worked part-time as a clerk and also performed bookkeeping services for the inn. Beginning no later than 2009 and continuing until early 2013, Smith embezzled approximately $200,000 from Shire Riverview. She did this by writing unauthorized checks to herself from the inn’s checking account and then depositing the checks into her personal bank account; by stealing cash payments made by motel guests; and by using Shire Riverview funds to pay her personal expenses, including credit card, gasoline, fuel oil, and telephone and Internet service bills. According to the information, Smith used about $40,000 in stolen funds to pay for improvements to a house in Barnard.

As part of her plea, Smith agreed to forfeit to the United States about $40,000 in improvements to the Barnard house and to pay a forfeiture money judgment in the full amount of the loss.

Smith faces up to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence will be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.

This case was investigated by the Woodstock Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Smith is represented by George Ostler. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.