A 1996 candidate for Groveland Township supervisor who pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false 2003 tax return in March was sentenced late last month.
Pamela Blodgett, 57, of Holly was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gerald E. Rosen on June 21 to three years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. Judge Rosen also ordered Blodgett to pay $570,000 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade, Special Agent in Charge Mauriece M. Aouate, IRS Criminal Investigation Division.
According to court records and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, during the 2003 through 2006 tax years, Blodgett embezzled more than $1.7 million for her personal use from her employer, Vinyl Tech Window Systems, where she was a controller. As part of her responsibilities, she had authority to issue checks for paying legitimate expenses. She embezzled funds by issuing checks to Valley Lawn Maintenance, a company owned and operated by her husband, William Blodgett.
Pamela Blodgett concealed the embezzlement by making false entries in the corporate check register and computer accounting programs, listing legitimate vendors as the payees of the checks. She assisted in the preparation of her joint tax returns for the years 2003 through 2006, failing to report this income, and caused an underpayment of more than $570,000 in taxes due and owing to the Internal Revenue Service.
Democratic candidate for Groveland Township Supervisor, Blodgett won the candidacy with 53 votes in the August 1996 township primary election.
However, in November 1996 she lost to current Groveland Township Supervisor Robert DePalma, who finished out the term of Don Titsworth, who died earlier that year. DePalma was elected over Blodgett by a vote of 1,541 to 684.
A 1970 graduate of Clarkston High School, Blodgett attended Oakland Community College, where she studied accounting.
She also served as secretary of the Holly School Board.