Renton WA woman sentenced for embezzling

A Renton woman who is five weeks' pregnant has been sentenced to four months in federal custody after pleading guilty to embezzling $41,733 from the Seattle Police Officers' Guild.

Thirty-seven-year-old Tara Mullins was the guild's bookkeeper from February 2003 until her termination in November 2005.

As part of her guilty plea, Mullins admitted to writing fraudulent checks, some from employee-benefit accounts, and depositing them into her own account.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says she also forged a guild officer's signature and transferred money from guild accounts to her online PayPal account, using the money for televisions, and movie and "Star Trek" memorabilia.

Federal authorities say whenn Mullins was fired, police found $10,000 in benefits checks that were not mailed to police officers or vendors.

U.S. District Judge John Coughenour says Mullins would be released in time to deliver her baby.

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Information from: Seattle Post-Intelligencer, http://www.seattle-pi.com/