A dental office manager in Pennsylvania was sentenced to jail and ordered to pay approximately $250,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to stealing from her former employer, according to a news article in the Observer-Reporter.
Heather N. Smith was sentenced to six to 23 months in jail, eight years of probation, and ordered to pay $251,843 to the office of Leonard Radnor, DMD, in Peters Township. She was sentenced immediately after she pleaded guilty to theft and theft by deception.
She must report to jail on March 1 to begin serving her term. Smith must make minimum monthly payments of $500 to Dr. Radnor, starting 30 days after her release. She may request early termination of her parole if she pays the restitution in full, according to the article.
Additionally, Smith must undergo a mental health evaluation, complete recommended treatment, and have no contact with Dr. Radnor and his wife, their family members, and the dental practice.
When Smith was arrested, she was charged with falsifying payroll records by inflating her hours over several years. She also allegedly claimed holiday, overtime, and sick pay that she wasn't entitled to receive, according to the article.
As the practice's office manager, Smith was responsible for keeping tab of her hours on a timesheet and consolidating all employees' hours on a worksheet. Then, she was responsible for forwarding the data to the office payroll company.
The judge dismissed the charges of receiving stolen property and tampering with records.
