Nassau Woman Sentenced To Jail For Embezzlement

A North Baldwin woman has been sentenced to two to four years in prison for stealing more than $650,000 from a Freeport company that installs automatic doors. As part of her sentence, Donna Salamanca, 38, will also have to pay $658,602.22 in restitution to that company.

Salamanca, also known as Donna DeJesus, pleaded guilty on Aug. 1 to third-degree grand larceny, a felony.

"For nearly four years, this defendant supplemented her paycheck by stealing more than $650,000 from her employers and used that money to live above her means," said Nassau District Attorney Madeline Singas. "Thanks to this sentence, this defendant will serve prison time and the local company she stole from will be repaid."

Starting in January 2010, Salamanca worked as the comptroller for Door Automation Corp., a business located in Freeport, and was authorized to pay the company’s bills. Between November 2011 and September 2015, Salamanca embezzled $658,602.22 from the company in various ways: by depositing company checks made out to "cash" or "petty cash" into her personal account and by electronically transferring money into various creditors’ accounts for her personal and family debts.

Salamanca indicated in company records that the checks were made to purchase various items for the company and to reimburse other employees for work-related expenses. She used the money for credit card payments, payments to debt collectors, car insurance, telephone bills, student loans and other expenses.

Salamanca was fired when the IRS placed a lien on the business and her employer discovered that she was making late payments to the IRS or, in some cases, no payments at all. The investigation was initiated after the employer filed a complaint with the district attorney's office.

Photo: Nassau County District Attorney's Office