YOUNGSTOWN (WKBN) – A woman from western Mahoning County will face sentencing in late April for what prosecutors say was a large theft case involving dogs for sale — many that never even existed.

Wearing a sling on her arm because of recent surgery, April Waidman could barely be heard in court telling Judge Anthony Donofrio she understands the charges against her. One of her victims, Debbie Saluga, claims that’s a far cry from the way the Beloit-area dog breeder treated her.

“And then when I tried to get my money back to go get another dog, she just turned really, really bad,” Saluga said.

Saluga is just one of dozens of victims of Waidman’s, some from other states who got caught up in what the county prosecutor says was a scam.

“This was a dog breeding operation where Ms. Waidman was taking money and not providing dogs,” said Mahoning County Assistant Prosecutor Lynn Maro.

Waidman entered guilty pleas to 80 counts of theft, taking more than $90,000 from her victims.

“I don’t even think it was the money thing. I think it was just her attitude. She was like I didn’t do anything wrong, and she was ugly about the whole thing,” Saluga said.

Prosecutors say as the case drew attention on social media, more victims came forward, leading to more charges being filed.

Saluga said many of the other victims are angry at being taken this way.

“There’s a lot of victims that are like, ‘I don’t even care if I get my money back, I just want her to do jail time,'” she said.

Prosecutors are recommending that Waidman spend six months in the county jail and make full restitution to all of the victims when she is sentenced in April.