Ex-Employee Pleads Guilty to $60K Theft

CHATTANOOGA, TN—The former employee of a printing company here has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $60,000 from the company, but will manage to avoid jail time as long as she pays it all back.

Kelly Madewell will be making monthly payments of just under $200 to pay back her former employer, Murray Printing. Madewell took more than $67,000, of which $15,000 was covered by insurance. Prosecutor Brett Anderson told The Chattanoogan that more than $49,000 is still owed, after Madewell presented a $27,000 check in court.

Madewell was given a suspended 10-year sentence, pending repayment of the funds, the paper reported. The sentence could be shortened to as little as five years if the money is paid off at a faster rate. She also must serve 100 hours of community service.