A 50-year-old central Minnesota woman was sentenced Thursday to 18 months in prison for dodging nearly $500,000 in federal employment taxes on the wages of employees of her adult foster care business.

Joni Rae Gangestad, of Fort Ripley, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis. She pleaded guilty March 31.

According to her plea agreement, Gangestad admitted that from 2003 through 2006 she failed to pay the $486,193 in federal employment taxes for her employees at JB Waivered Services.

PAUL WALSH