An Alexandria woman pleads guilty to stealing more than $77,000 in Social Security benefit payments from her deceased mother's bank account.

U.S. Attorney Stephanie Finley's office says 59-year-old Sherilyn Dowden pled guilty to one count of theft of government property. According to court evidence, Dowden stole the payments from July 1, 2009, until March 31, 2015.

Dowden wrote checks to herself and family members from an account the Social Security Administration was depositing into for her mother. The SSA was unaware of the woman's death in June 2009, and Dowden didn't inform them of it.

Dowden faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution. She'll be sentenced September 26.

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