TUCSON, Ariz. – A woman found guilty of embezzling $973,010 from the Tucson Museum of Art has been sentenced to five years in prison to be followed by seven years of probation.

In August, Ruth Sons, 62, pleaded guilty to one count of theft and one count of fradulent schemes and artifices, both felonies.

Sons was employed as a bookkeeper and accountant for the art museum from 2003 to 2008. In that role, Sons had access to the museum’s payroll, petty cash and museum shop deposits.

Prosecutors charged that Sons forged signatures of the museum’s CFO and Director, stole cash that should have been deposited, and manipulated the museum’s general accounting ledger to conceal her crimes.

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