Sherrie Rivera, a former chief operating officer for the $78.6million Peoples Credit Union, will be sentenced in October afterpleading guilty Monday in a Florida federal court for stealing$385,000 from accounts at the Pembroke Pines, Fla.-basedcooperative.

While working at the credit union from 2009 to 2014, Rivera hadthe ability to access accounts and authorize fee reversals andtransactions. Over five years, she stole $385,000 from PCU accountsusing different means, according to federal prosecutors.

In 2011, a member's account received a series of tax refunds indifferent names from the filing of fraudulent tax returns. The U.S.Department of Treasury requested reclamation of these refunds fromthe credit union.

In one instance, for example, the account received a tax refundtotaling $4,900, and on June 1, 2011, Rivera caused a $4,900 checkto be written from the account to the U.S. Department ofTreasury.

According to court documents, Rivera signed the check, butinstead of sending it back to the federal offices, she told ateller to cash the check and Rivera kept the funds for her personaluse.

Federal prosecutors said the former COO admitted in an interviewto her involvement in this theft of government funds. She pleadedguilty to one count of theft of government money.

Though the 53-year-old Rivera was no longer working at theFlorida cooperative by 2014, the felony charge against her was notfiled by federal investigators until six weeks ago on June 10,according to court records.

Rivera faces a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

However, federal prosecutors are expected to recommend a reducedsentence to a federal judge if Rivera accepts personalresponsibility for her actions, fully cooperates with federalauthorities, and meets other conditions specified in a pleaagreement.

Jeffrey T. Miller, president/CEO of Peoples CU, did not return a call seeking commentWednesday.