BRENTWOOD — A former Salem wedding photographer could face up to a year in jail for allegedly failing to begin paying off roughly $429,000 in court-ordered restitution owed to her customers.

A judge issued an arrest warrant for Darlene Perrotta, 54, of Methuen, Mass., after she did not appear at a probation violation hearing on Thursday in Rockingham County Superior Court.

Perrotta was ordered before a judge last week because her probation officer filed a complaint alleging she failed to sign off contracts meant to begin her restitution payments, according to court records.

She was convicted last Feb. 23 of three misdemeanor counts of deceptive business practices along with her estranged husband, Michael, for failing to provide wedding album photos to more than 200 customers throughout New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Michael Perrotta, who was also given a suspended jail sentence last year, has been living up to his part of the plea agreement, according to prosecutors.

“He owes restitution as well, but my understanding is he is making payments,” Senior Assistant Attorney General Constance Stratton said.

State prosecutors filed a civil lawsuit against the Perrotta’s business, Forever In Time photography, which resulted in the pending restitution order.

It also granted the release of scores of wedding photos.

Couples who waited years to get their wedding albums received DVDs and signed waivers that allowed them to have their wedding albums produced elsewhere as a result of the state’s civil lawsuit.

Darlene Perrotta is now using a court-appointed attorney with her criminal case. She cited marital difficulties and financial hardship have left her unable to afford her own lawyer.

Judge Marguerite Wageling said the restitution order will be addressed once Perrotta is apprehended on the arrest warrant and brought to court.

At that hearing, state prosecutors will have the option to ask to impose a jail term.

In June, prosecutors sought to jail the Perrottas for not handing over information about their dozens of customers seeking repayment. But a last-minute agreement about restitution — worked out before a judge — kept them from being sent to jail.

Email jkimble@newstote.com