Saratoga County District Attorney Karen A. Heggen announced that Anna Marie Perrotti (DOB 3/18/69) plead guilty today in Saratoga County Court before Saratoga County Court Judge James A. Murphy, III, to Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, in violation of New York State Penal Law Section 155.35(1), a “Class D” felony in full satisfaction of the charges brought by a Saratoga County Grand Jury. Perrotti was the sole proprietor of the Sand Dollar Travel Agency of Clifton Park, New York. She admitted today that between December 2014 and August 2016, she stole monies from customers that totaled $ 47,684.00. The investigation by the New York State Police in Clifton Park revealed that during that time frame she received approximately $350,000.00 from travel customers but failed to make the travel reservations for those customers. The New York State Police received over fifty complaints from those who had made payments to defendant Perrotti but then discovered that no final travel arrangements had ever been made for their travel. These customers included wedding planners, newlyweds about to honeymoon, and travelers hoping to make that once-in-a-lifetime cruise. The investigation further revealed that defendant Perrotti often used funds paid by one customer to book travels for another, at a time very close to the scheduled trip, and therefore at a much higher cost than if it had been paid for at the time of payment to her by the customer. Most of the customers made payment on their credit cards and received compensation from their credit card companies, but several made payments through cash, personal checks, or debit cards. This last minute booking or payment ultimately resulted in a net loss to 18 victims in the amount of $ 47,684.00.
DA Heggen noted, “This is a case of someone who had little regard for the impact her actions had on others. My office learned of story after story about travelers who headed out for their dream vacations, to arrive at the airport, port or hotel, and find they did not have reservations. They were devastated to be unable to complete trips they had planned for years”.
Under the terms of the agreement with the Court, if the defendant can make full restitution at or before sentencing on June 21, 2017 at 9:00 am, she will be sentenced to a term of incarceration of six months and will also be required to serve a five-year probation term. If the defendant is unable or unwilling to make full restitution at or before the time of sentencing, then the Court will impose a term of incarceration of one and one-third to four years in prison.