Virginia Woman to serve 2 years for embezzlement

A former employee of the Pulaski County commissioner of the revenue's office will spend two years in prison for taking money from her church over a four-year period, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Patricia Wilson, 58, of Draper was charged with nine counts of embezzlement dating from 2006 to last year. At a hearing in December in Pulaski County Circuit Court, she pleaded guilty to five counts; the four others were dropped.
Wilson took a total of $167,030.75, Pulaski County Commonwealth's Attorney Mike Fleenor said. He said $20,000 has been repaid.
At the conclusion of a hearing that lasted about three hours Wednesday, Circuit Court Judge Bobby Turk sentenced Wilson to two years in prison on each conviction for a total of 10 years with eight years suspended. After she serves two years in prison, Wilson will spend five years on probation.
Wilson testified that she took the money to help her daughter, Fleenor said. He said she wrote about 100 checks from the church's account.
An investigation began after the electricity at Memorial Christian Church in Draper was turned off in March 2009. When approached by church members, Wilson, who had been in charge of church funds for nine years, admitted that she took money without authorization.
After she was charged, she resigned from her job as deputy commissioner.
The sheriff's office has said an investigation has shown that no funds were taken from the commissioner of the revenue's office.