15 years of jailtime for computer crime

Date: April 19, 2006
Source: rockymountainnews.com


A Littleton woman was sentenced to 15 years in prison today for embezzling more than $1.2 million from a commercial real estate investment firm in Lakewood where she worked.

Patricia Ragusa, 45, was convicted on 102 counts of theft and computer crime by a Jefferson County jury in November. During the trial, she testified that she took the money because she believed her employer, Alliance Commercial Partners, wanted her to have the money, which she lavished on her children, their friends, donations to their school, vacations and expensive cars.

Today her children and defense attorney asked for mercy, but the judge rejected pleas for probation.

"When you manipulate people, a company or yourself to this degree, probation is not appropriate," said Jefferson County District Judge Tamara Russell. "You took a lot of money. You took it over a number of years and you took it from people who trusted you. Having watched you testify in this courtroom, I truly feel you have deceived yourself in proportions that are just astounding."
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