WILLITS – This week a Willits woman pleaded guilty to embezzling $24,000 from an area food bank.

Susan Gravier, 54, entered the guilty plea to felony embezzlement on Tuesday before Mendocino County Superior Court Judge Cindee Mayfield, according to a report from the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office.

Gravier allegedly embezzled the funds while employed as the director of the Willits Food Bank, the district attorney's office report.

She allegedly started stealing from the Willits Food Bank in January 2008, and continued until she was caught in April 2009 by other members in the organization, according to the prosecution, led by Matt Hubley.

As director of the Willits Food Bank, Gravier had access to credit and debit cards issued to the organization and would routinely gamble with the food bank’s money at local casinos, officials reported.

The district attorney's office said she faces a maximum of three years in prison and will have to reimburse the Willits Food Bank for all of the money she embezzled.

Officials reported that Gravier, defended by attorney Elizabeth Fowlds, is set to be sentenced on June 30.

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