Woman, 36, sentenced to 6 years in prison in timeshare scam

A 36-year-old Atlantic County woman was sentenced Friday in federal court in Camden to six years in prison for scamming owners of timeshares in a $3 million scheme, prosecutors said.

Ashley Lacerda of Egg Harbor Township was convicted of one count of mail fraud and four counts of wire fraud in 2013 along with three other codefendants, including her husband, Adam, 32.

Prosecutors said Adam Lacerda founded a company in Mays Landing, Vacation Ownership Group L.L.C., that offered fraudulent consulting services to hundreds of timeshare owners. His wife was the company's chief operating officer and vice president.

Adam Lacerda was convicted of nine counts of mail fraud and three counts of wire fraud, and was sentenced last June to 27 years in prison. The remaining codefendants also have been sentenced to prison. - Robert Moran