The co-defendant of a Massena woman who pleaded guilty to identity theft and mail fraud was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Utica to six years in prison.

Elaine Monique Zavalla-Charres, 34, of Winslow, Ariz., was sentenced to serve a total of 72 months in jail, 48 months for mail fraud and a consecutive term of 24 months for aggravated identity theft. She was also sentenced to serve three years of supervised release following her prison term and ordered to make restitution to the IRS of $411,309.

The fraud scheme which gave rise to the sentence occurred in 2011 through 2013.

Her co-defendent, Lacey Hollinger, 27, of Massena, contacted Massena area residents via Facebook and other electronic media to tell them they were eligible for a tax refund as part of a U.S. government “stimulus program” even though they were unemployed and had no income. No such program existed. Several dozen people responded, giving Hollinger their personal identification information (date of birth, social security number, etc.).

Hollinger forwarded this information to Charres, who used it to create false and fraudulent tax returns that, with others obtained from Arizona residents, generated over $400,000 in tax refunds. Charres, Hollinger, and others involved in the fraudulent scheme stole these funds after they were electronically deposited in bank accounts in Arizona, according the a press release from the office of United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian.

Hollinger was sentenced in May to serve a term of 36 months imprisonment, restitution, and three years of supervised release.