FROM STAFF REPORTS

U.S. District Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn on Nov. 17 sentenced a Pelham woman to five years and five months in prison on fraud and tax charges related to her embezzling $776,722 from her employer.

Blackburn sentenced Tammy Leigh Adams, 47, of Pelham, on one count each of bank fraud, aggravated identity theft and attempting to evade taxes. Adams pleaded guilty to the charges in May. The judge ordered her to report to prison on Jan. 30, 2012.

Adams worked for Southern Food Concepts from 2004 and 2008. According to court records, she presented checks from the company for deposit into her personal account at Regions Bank. She forged the company president’s signature on checks and also made unauthorized wire transfers from the company’s accounts into her personal account, according to a press release from U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance.

Vance said Adams also neglected to pay taxes on the money she embezzled, resulting in a tax loss to the government of $233,667, according to court records.

IRS Criminal Investigation and Pelham Police investigated the case.