CLEARFIELD – The two women who pled guilty to charges that they stole more than $420,000 from DuFast Transit were sentenced Tuesday morning in Clearfield County Court.
The women, 37-year-old Lauri L. Ferraro, formerly of DuBois and now living in Florida, and 48-year-old Elaine Kost of DuBois, entered a guilty plea on the morning that a two-week jury trial was set to begin.
Clearfield County Judge Paul E. Cherry sentenced Ferraro to serve a minimum of three years and a maximum of 24 years, according to Clearfield County District Attorney William A. Shaw Jr. Kost received a minimum sentence of 18 months and a maximum of 12 years.
The women faced dozens of counts including forgery, theft by unlawful taking and theft by deception.
In addition to their prison sentences, the women will have to pay DuFast back for the missing money.
According to a previous GantDaily article, the women were charged with creating false board of directors’ minutes for DuFast in which they gave themselves bonuses and made unauthorized purchases for themselves between May 2000 and December 2004.
Ferraro received approximately $291,000 in money and purchases, including a Chevrolet Tahoe that she used as her own and had heating oil delivered to her home. Kost is accused of receiving about $128,000.
At the time of the offenses, both women were employees of DuFast Transit.