Mar.11, 2010, 4:51pm CST

A former Ferrellgas Inc. employee was sentenced to four years and three months in federal prison for embezzling from the company.

Scott Beeson, 53, of North Kansas City, had pleaded guilty April 22 to wire fraud and money laundering related to charges of stealing $3.5 million from the Overland Park-based propane retailer.

Beeson worked as a fleet manager in Ferrellgas’ Liberty office from 1995 to 2008.

Prosecutors charged him with creating bogus invoices from Ferrellgas vendors Ideal Solutions and Helgers Trucking and Sales for work that never was done. He approved the invoices and sent Ferrellgas payments to the vendors, which then kicked back most of the proceeds to Beeson.

He put the ill-gotten payments into his personal bank account or one created for Prominent Youth Inc., a nonprofit educational organization that Beeson controlled.