Las Cruces Woman Convicted Of Dozens Of Embezzlement Charges

ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP) – A Las Cruces woman has been convicted of embezzling money from an Alamogordo electronics store during a four-year span.

District Attorney Scot Key says a state district court jury convicted Bertha Garcia (Friday night) of 45 counts of embezzlement, 40 counts of conspiracy and one count of fraud over $250.

Garcia was arrested in October, along with her accomplice Lee Ann Hathorn, following a seven-month investigation.

Police say the two used a credit card machine at EZ TV, where they worked, to credit their own cards.

The district attorney’s office says the scheme went undetected for so long because of Garcia’s ability to hide the thefts through her bookkeeping and access to other company accounts.

Garcia is awaiting sentencing. Hathorn was sentenced in January to 10 years in prison.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)