LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — A Lancaster County woman will serve up to 23 months in prison after admitting to stealing more than $68,000 from a medical center where she worked as a receptionist and office manager, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.
Donna Duvall, 55, of Peach Bottom, pleaded guilty to fraud and receiving stolen property. She was sentenced to a prison term of six to 23 months by Lancaster County Judge Dennis Reinaker on Wednesday, according to the DA's office.
She'll be on probation for 10 years following her prison term as part of the sentence, prosecutors said.
Duvall must also pay $68,181.20 in restitution, $10,000 of which must be paid by January 27, according to the DA.
First Deputy District Attorney Travis Anderson prosecuted the case and noted the sentencing guidelines called for a minimum sentence of three to 12 months in prison. He asked for the court to follow the sentencing guidelines and impose a sentence of incarceration stating this was an “unusual and severe theft case.”
Duvall's attorney argued for house arrest and no incarceration, as it would affect Duvall’s current employment and ability to pay restitution.
Reinaker stated Duvall had a prior theft charge and said this behavior was a “character flaw” before noting the amount of money that was stolen and that restitution payments should have already begun.
“I could pay money if I had to,” Duvall stated.
After Reinaker asked how much, Duvall said “$10,000.”
Duvall plead guilty in October 2021 to taking money and failing to bill customers from her employer, Lanchester Medical Center, where she had worked for 30 years. Duvall began as a receptionist before becoming an office manager with billing and insurance duties.
Investigators reviewed Lanchester Medical Center’s financial information and found that Duvall received 49 checks issued to her from the business from 2015 to 2018 and an additional six checks were written out to cash that Duvall used to pay personal bills.
Duvall disguised the theft by entering false information into the business’s software program that tracked the expenses.
Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Scott Enedy filed charges in April 2020.
