A former Winnebago County purchasing director has been sentenced to two years in prison for stealing more than $440,000 from a program that received federal money. Federal prosecutors say 57-year-old Sally A. Claassen of Roscoe was sentenced in Rockford.
She previously pleaded guilty to federal counts of embezzlement. The judge also ordered Claassen to pay restitution to the Winnebago County treasurer, plus a $5,000 fine, and serve one year of supervised release.
Claassen ran the county's purchasing department from 1997 until she was placed on administrative leave and then resigned. County administrators accused her of using her county-issued credit card to buy personal items, including resort vacations, kitchen cabinets, and appliances for her home.
