Former North Huntingdon banquet manager to serve jail time for theft

Ron Tarquinio’s business, like many others, is struggling to survive the coronavirus pandemic.

He told a Westmoreland County judge on Thursday that his catering company, Banquets Unlimited in North Huntingdon, already was behind the eight-ball after his former business manager stole at least $8,000 and alienated a steady customer base. Then the pandemic hit.

“Clients don’t want anything to do with us anymore. You don’t do that to people,” Tarquinio said as he asked Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio to send his former manager, Robert James Miller, to jail.

Miller, 49, of Scottdale, pleaded guilty in July to theft and four other related offenses in connection with allegations that he upsold special services at the banquet hall that were not provided to customers and, instead, pocketed the extra cash. Investigators, according to court records, said Miller stole money from the business from 2015 until he was fired in November 2019.

On Thursday, Miller was ordered to serve three to 23 months in jail and an additional year on probation. He will begin his jail sentence Nov. 2.

Miller told the judge he took the money to support his family during a rough period after his wife had stopped working following a surgery.

“I want to apologize to Banquets Unlimited and for what I did to their company,” Miller said. “I am a good guy who works to provide for my family.”

He described a series of restaurant jobs he held but had been terminated from after his arrest and said he finally found a position at a Fayette County resort, where he now works.

Miller had sought a probation sentence that included time on house arrest.

Assistant District Attorney Adam Barr asked that Miller be jailed and noted that investigators have not determine exactly how much was stolen. Barr said the $8,000 figure, which Miller has since paid back, was an amount he admitted stealing.

“I am pleading with the court to send a message to him, especially when business are suffering,” Barr said.