Woman sentenced to three years on probation for embezzlement

MORGANTOWN — A woman pleaded guilty to embezzlement and waived her right to a pre-sentence report allowing Monongalia County Circuit Court Judge Phillip Gaujot to sentence her immediately Thursday.
Brittany Murray, 26, will serve three years on probation and must pay restitution in the amount she stole. Gaujot suspended the sentence of one to 10 years in lieu of the probation.
Murray paid $12,625.25 prior to the plea hearing, and she must pay that same amount before her probation ends.
Stephen Fitz, representing the state, said the state would not oppose early release if Murray pays the restitution and does not get in trouble over the next year.
Murray waived her right to be indicted by a grand jury and pleaded guilty based on the prosecutor’s information. Fitz told the court if the case went to trial, the state would have used bank and retail store footage to prove its case. Murray stole the money while she was serving as the substitute treasurer for the Cool Springs Volunteer Fire Department between August 2016 and February 2017. The head treasurer was experiencing medical issues at the time, he said.
Bryan Edwards, Murray’s lawyer, told the court he spoke with Fitz before the hearing and Murray was willing to waive her right to a pre-sentence report, as she had not been in trouble since the incident and paid half of the restitution prior to the hearing. The state did not object and Gaujot sentenced her according to the terms of the plea agreement.