Former village clerk gets 2 years for stealing $400K

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A former clerk-treasurer for the village of Black Earth has been sentenced to two years in prison for stealing about $400,000 from the southern Wisconsin community and the electric utility in which it’s a partner.

The Wisconsin State Journal reports that 35-year-old Stephanie Lathrop of Sauk City pleaded guilty in September to two counts of felony theft for stealing the money from the village and from the Vanguard Electric Commission, the electric utility jointly run by Black Earth and Mazomanie, when she was employed by them.

Court documents show she started stealing in 2009 and continued until she was caught in 2013.

A judge told Lathrop during sentencing Monday that her crimes were too serious to allow her to avoid prison time.

She also must serve eight years of extended supervision.