Feb.19, 6:33 pm, Source: Kentucky Post

Sharon Highlander, an official at a cable corporation in Highlands, Ky., was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Court Judge David L. Bunning to three years in prison for devising a money laundering scheme that helped her gain thousands of dollars.

Judge Bunning ordered the 46-year-old from Augusta, Ky. to pay restitution in the amount of $709,253.89 to General Cable Corporation, the victim in the case.

Judge Bunning remarked, while imposing the sentence, that Highlander had abused a position of trust she held with the cable corporation.

Highlander pleaded guilty in September of 2009 to the money laundering offense.

She admitted that while working as the chief information officer at General Cable, she initiated a wire fraud/kick back scheme in 2003 and 2004.

According to court documents, Highlander gave favorable contracts to Stuart Hartman, the owner of AGEM, a company Highlander hired to provide information technology support to the cable company. She then accepted kickbacks from Hartman for providing the favorable contracts.

Judge Bunning also sentenced Hartman, 49, of Cincinnati, Ohio, to 18 months in prison for the same offense and for his participation in the money laundering scheme. The court also determined that he will be held jointly and severally liable with Highlander for the restitution.

Under federal law, Highlander and Hartman must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences and upon release, will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for three years.

James A. Zerhusen, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Timothy D. Cox, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, jointly made the announcement Friday after the sentencing.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Laura K. Voorhees.