By The Associated Press

CHICAGO - A former Illinois Department of Corrections accountant has pleaded guilty to embezzling around $77,000 from an association formed to memorialize prison workers killed on the job.

Mary Ann Bohlen pleaded guilty Wednesday in Springfield to two counts of mail fraud and two counts of embezzlement.

The 46-year-old Bohlen faces up to 20 years in prison on each fraud count and up to 10 on each embezzlement count.

Federal prosecutors say the Edinburg woman embezzled money from various funds over four years starting in 2007. That included some $50,000 from the Illinois Correctional Employees Memorial Association.

Defense attorney Daniel Fultz said in a phone interview his client is remorseful. He says she has no previous criminal record and felt financially squeezed because she had to care for her ailing mother.