(WNY News Now) – Tonawanda, NY – A Tonawanda woman has been sentenced to 8 to 19 years in prison for embezzling over $1.3 million from St. Amelia’s Parish and an audiology office. Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announced the sentencing, handed down by State Supreme Court Justice M. William Boller.
From April 2023 to September 2023, while working as a business manager at St. Amelia’s Parish in Tonawanda, Lisa A. Noble, 44, also known as Lisa Prynn, stole approximately $465,000. She made unauthorized purchases with the church’s debit card, issued fraudulent checks to herself, and stole cash deposits, using the funds for concert tickets, travel, and other personal expenses. The theft was uncovered in mid-September, leading to her administrative leave and subsequent termination.
Noble also admitted to stealing over $500,000 from an audiology practice in Tonawanda between 2016 and 2021, where she served as an office manager. After a Grand Jury indictment, she was arrested in Raleigh, North Carolina, in March 2024 by the U.S. Marshals Office and extradited to Western New York.
In June 2024, Noble pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including:
- Four counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree (Class “C” felonies)
- Three counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree (Class “D” felonies)
- One count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (Class “D” felony)
- Three counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree (Class “E” felonies)
Noble signed Confessions of Judgment to pay restitution of $465,424.19 to St. Amelia’s Parish and $890,723.08 to the audiology practice but has yet to repay any amount.
“This defendant brazenly stole nearly a million dollars from two former employers to fund her extravagant lifestyle then fled the area in an attempt to evade prosecution. Today, I am pleased to announce that she will serve a significant period of incarceration for these crimes,” said Acting Erie County DA Mike Keane.
Rev. Michael P. LaMarca of St. Amelia Catholic Church and School expressed relief over the sentencing, highlighting the community’s ongoing recovery from this breach of trust.
The case was prosecuted by Chief Gary M. Ertel and Assistant District Attorney Robin J. Deubler of the Special Investigations and Prosecutions (SIP) Bureau. DA Keane commended the Diocese of Buffalo, City of Tonawanda Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force for their investigative efforts.
Leave a Reply