Former Minich Electric Office Manager Admits Defrauding Employer

ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Bradford, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of mail fraud, Acting United States Attorney Soo C. Song announced today.

Tyler Little, 30, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Davie S. Cercone.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Little was an office manager at Minich Electric in Bradford. From November 2012 to September 2015, he wrote numerous checks to himself from the Minich Electric business account, failed to deposit numerous cash payments made by customers and used the funds for his own personal use and used the business credit card without the owner’s knowledge or permission to purchase numerous items for himself resulting in a loss of approximately $77,516.81 to Minich Electric.

Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for February 26, 2018 at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Pending sentencing, the court continued Little on bond.

Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Little.