A Midwest City woman convicted of embezzling from an Oklahoma City machinists' union was sentenced in federal court last week.
Kathleen Marie Smith, 54, was the financial secretary-treasurer for Local Lodge 850 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers when she embezzled more than $20,000 from the lodge and the Oklahoma State Council of Machinists.
In January, she pleaded guilty to the federal charge.
Smith testified that when she misappropriated the funds between November 2010 and December 2012, she was fueling a gambling addiction.
At sentencing, her attorney read a letter to the judge that Smith had written to the union confessing the embezzlement and detailing her plan to commit suicide so that her life insurance policy could be used to repay her debt. In the letter, Smith wrote, "I'm sorry for the mess I've created. . . . I hope others can learn from my mistakes." She then attempted suicide by overdosing on pills in her car in a funeral home parking lot, but woke up "upset" to find out that her plan did not work.
Since that time, Smith has reportedly received mental health treatment, and her treatment is ongoing. She told United States District Judge Stephen Friot that she no longer gambles.
On Friday, Judge Friot sentenced Smith to four years of probation, community service, and to pay restitution in the amount of $20,000 to the insurance companies for Local Lodge 850 and the Oklahoma State Council of Machinists. Her attorney said that she has already paid approximately $9,000 in restitution.
