The former Buchanan County Public Administrator is sentenced to 37 months in a federal prison for embezzling social security funds.

Bonnie Sue Lawson is sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Kansas City to charges she embezzled $118,000 from 120 of her clients. Lawson had previously pleaded guilty as part of a plea agreement.

Her role was to act as guardian for mentally ill or developmentally disabled adults, and act on their behalf. She resigned in 2006, after investigators began looking into charges against her.

According to the U.S. Attorney's office, Lawson embezzled funds from client accounts for her own use between September 2003 and August 2006.

The U.S. District Attorney says Lawson generated checks from clients' accounts which were payable to her, and submitted fraudulent reports to the social security administration.

Lawson was ordered to pay $119,063 in restitution and avoid to gambling for three years.