By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

A Bessemer woman will spend the next three years on probation, and must pay a total of $36,000 in restitution to Kingwood Christian School after she pleaded guilty to embezzling money from the school.

Former KCS comptroller and consumer math teacher Stacie Hollon, 43, pleaded guilty to one felony count of first-degree theft of property during an Oct. 3 hearing in the Shelby County Courthouse.

After accepting the guilty plea, Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Dan Reeves suspended a three-year prison sentence for Hollon, and instead sentenced her to three years of probation. Hollon also must pay $1,000 per month in restitution to KCS for 36 months, according to court documents.

Hollon was indicted by a Shelby County grand jury in January on counts of theft of first-degree theft of property and first-degree receiving stolen property.

Hollon, the school’s former comptroller and consumer math teacher, was arrested on three charges May 31, 2011, including driving under the influence of alcohol, improper lane usage and receiving stolen property. Hollon was released from the Shelby County Jail after posting bond June 2011.

Hollon’s position as the school’s comptroller was terminated in late May 2011.

During the Oct. 3 hearing, Hollon’s attorney, John Medaris, said police officers discovered a Kingwood Christian School bank bag containing $186.35 in currency and $3,449.74 in checks in Hollon’s vehicle during a 2011 traffic stop.

Medaris said Hollon intended to use the funds for her personal use.

Hollon also pleaded guilty to embezzling about $63,452 from Kingwood from 2008-2011, according to court documents.