Bookkeeper sentenced for embezzlementA volunteer bookkeeper for nursing homes and hospital chaplains has been sentenced in Washington County District Court to six months of jail, and a stayed prison sentence, for embezzling more than $155,000.

Susan K. Fredricksen, 65, of Oak Park Heights, worked for the St. Croix Chaplaincy Association, which provides chaplains for nursing homes in Stillwater and Bayport. The group is funded by area churches and foundations.

In November, she pleaded guilty to four amended felony counts. Eight other felony counts were dismissed.

Judge Mary Hannon on April 25 sentenced Fredricksen to 26 months in Shakopee prison but stayed the sentence for the term of probation, which is 10 years. Fredricksen also will serve 180 days on so-called Sentence to Serve jail custody, which involves work on a county crew on weekdays. That will be followed by 184 days on electronic home monitoring.

She also is required to pay $155,825 in restitution.

Frederickson wrote dozens of checks to herself over four years. The association director discovered that one of the association's savings certificates had been depleted, prompting an investigation by Stillwater police.

She was accused of taking money from the saving certificate to keep the association's checking account solvent. The complaint cited six separate thefts in amounts ranging from $10,526 to $29,600.

KEVIN GILES