A Geneva woman has been sentenced to prison for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer over several years.

Fifty-three-year-old Martha P. Strauss on Aug. 9, 2017, agreed to a sentence of five years’ imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections in exchange for a guilty plea to theft, a Class 1 felony. Circuit Judge John A. Barsanti accepted the plea.

Kane County Assistant State’s Attorney Sarah Seberger stated during the plea hearing that between January 2008 and August 2015 Strauss stole $618,380.69 from the St. Charles business that employed her. The money was stolen in the form of cash and checks written to herself.

In addition to the prison sentence, Strauss must pay $618,380.69 in restitution to the victim.According to Illinois law, Strauss is eligible for day-for-day credit. She received credit for one day served in the Kane County jail.

Barsanti set Strauss’ next court date for 1:30 p.m. Oct. 11, 2017, in Courtroom 319 at the Kane County Judicial Center to rule on Strauss’ payment method of the restitution.