Woman who stole $141,000 from Iowa City employer gets 10 years in prison

A woman accused in 2012 of stealing more than $140,000 from her employer - a local defense attorney - will spend up to a decade in prison.

According to online court records, 37-year-old Kimberly K. Kutcher - formerly Kurka - was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison, the maximum sentence for first-degree theft, a Class C felony.

Kutcher was arrested in August 2012 after the Iowa City Police Department developed evidence that she misappropriated funds from her employer between 2008 and 2010. During that time, Kutcher was employed by the Foster Law Office in Iowa City.

During her employment, Kutcher was in charge of managing payroll, accounts receivable, accounts payable and other business related to the trust and operating accounts. She was granted access to passwords and online accounts and is accused of misappropriating money through various financial instruments, including check and money transfers from operating and trust accounts, credit cards and cash payments from clients.

Kutcher was accused of writing herself additional paychecks, inflating her payroll, converting credit card access checks to funds for the operating account and stealing client cash payments. A forensic examiner reviewed the case and determined the crimes started no later than 2008.

Her thefts amounted to more than $141,000, according to police.

A $1,000 fine levied against Kutcher has been suspended. A restitution hearing is scheduled for Aug. 21.