SYRACUSE -- A Skaneateles car dealer who admits to swindling an elderly neighbor out of thousands of dollars will spend the next five years on probation.
That was the sentence handed down to Pat Bombard in Onondaga County Court Monday morning.
Last month, he was given more time to pay $155,000 in restitution to Erma Jerva in a fraudulent land sale. At the time, Bombard's attorney told the judge his client had already paid back more than $50,000 and was looking for a loan to pay off the remaining $105,000.
Jerva, Bombard's victim, spoke at the sentencing. She said she trusted him and he jipped her.
Jerva said, "I don't think this is right. I think he should be punished for it, and I just can't understand his way of living and trying to jip people out."
Bombard pleaded guilty last April to grand larceny and offering a false instrument for filing. The latter charge stems from Bombard's admission that he had claimed Jerva's property had been paid off when it had not.
Bombard has until January 2013 to complete restitution.
In 2010 when he was the owner of Bombard Chevrolet on Route 20 in Skaneateles, Bombard was accused of defrauding customers. The charges were leveled after a customer accused Bombard of failing to pay off a $17,000 loan on a trade-in vehicle.
