Tracy Schwartzkopf stood before the judge, her words coming quickly in a trembling voice.

"I know what I did is wrong," she said, acknowledging that she embezzled thousands of dollars from a Casper energy company whose finances she once handled. "I took money from people who trusted me."

A judge Friday sentenced Schwartzkopf to 90 days in jail and three years supervised probation for embezzlement and forgery. Prosecutors say she stole nearly $200,000 from Jonah Energy and then tried to cover her tracks with a web of fake companies and bogus documents.

Before handing down his sentence, Natrona County District Judge Scott Skavdahl said he had trouble understanding why Schwartzkopf, a Jonah Energy shareholder whose own attorney acknowledged she didn't need the money, would steal from the company.

"In the end, the only thing I can conclude is that this was solely driven by greed," Skavdahl told the court.

In addition to the jail time and probation, Schwartzkopf received a suspended prison sentence of two-and-a-half to four years. She must also complete a felony program at the Casper Re-Entry Center and pay a fine of $7,200.

"I guess the more you succeed in life, the farther you have to fall," Skavdahl said.

The judge noted that while Schwartzkopf admitted she embezzled the money, she only did so after police confronted her. When company officials initially questioned her, she claimed she had used the money to reimburse herself for Jonah Energy expenses she paid out of her own pocket.

Schwartzkopf, 49, has already paid back the money she stole.

For most of the hearing, Schwartzkopf, dressed in street clothes, looked on from the defense table, her head resting on her right hand.

Before the sentence, Schwartzkopf's attorney, Michael Krampner, read from a letter he said was from John Martin, president of Jonah Energy. Martin worked with prominent Casper businessman and philanthropist Mick McMurry to develop Jonah Field - one of the largest natural gas fields in the United States.

In the letter, Martin said Schwartzkopf has expressed remorse and made full restitution for the money she took. He also asked that the court to grant Schwartzkopf leniency, according to Krampner.

Krampner said his client confessed to the embezzlement and is giving up her accountant's license.

"There is no danger of this happening again," he said.

In arguing for a prison sentence of two to four years, Assistant District Attorney Joshua Stensaas pointed out that Schwartzkopf was in a position of trust in the company and completed 21 different illegal transactions over 10 months.

Schwartzkopf created fake people and companies in an attempt to hide what she'd done, he added.

"This is not lying to police," he said. "This is an extensive cover up."

Police began to investigate Schwartzkopf in June, when company attorneys and accountants reported the suspected theft to Casper police detective Shawn Jenkins.

Company officials had found checks made out to Schwartzkopf. She told them the checks were to reimburse her for payments she made out of her own finances on behalf of Jonah Energy, Jenkins explained during Friday's hearing.

However, the detective later discovered that businesses Schwartzkopf supposedly paid didn't actually exist. For example, Schwartzkopf had provided company officials with bills for a law office that didn't exist, Jenkins told the court.

During a police search of Schwartzkopf's home, she admitted documents she provided to company officials were phony, Jenkins said.

In December, Schwartzkopf pleaded guilty to embezzlement and forgery as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, who dismissed six other charges against her. The Natrona County District Attorney's Office also agreed to cap its sentencing recommendation at three to five years.

At Friday's hearing, prosecutors recommended Schwartzkopf serve two to four years in prison.

Schwartzkopf, who had been free on $1,000 bond pending the sentencing, was ordered to turn herself in at Natrona County Detention Center on Friday afternoon.

Reach Joshua Wolfson at (307) 266-0582 or at josh.wolfson@trib.com.

NewsTracker

Last we knew: A Natrona County woman pleaded guilty to embezzling money from a Casper energy company.

The latest: A judge sentenced Tracy Schwartzkopf to 90 days in jail and three years probation.

What's next: Schwartzkopf will be jailed at Natrona County Detention Center and must complete a felony program at Casper Re-Entry Center.