FortBendNow.com

A Stafford woman convicted 11 months ago of embezzling about $20,000 from a school parent-teacher organization pleaded guilty Monday to charges related to a similar – but earlier – embezzlement scheme.

Paula E. Bottensek, 49, pleaded guilty to charges of theft and money laundering for stealing $19,670 from the Dulles Middle School PTO in 2004, when she was treasurer of the organization, Fort Bend County Assistant District Attorney Mike Elliott said.

Bottensek had made about $12,000 in restitution previously, and paid another approximate $7,000 in restitution Monday, Elliott said. In a plea arrangement, she was sentenced to 30 days jail time, which will be served on weekends at the Fort Bend County Jail in Richmond, from 7 p.m. on Fridays until 7 p.m. on Sundays.

Fort Bend Independent School District police began an investigation of the theft from the Dulles Middle School PTO after school officials learned of Bottensek’s July 2006 conviction for stealing $20,375 from Lexington Creek Elementary’s PTO, where she also had been treasurer.

In the Lexington Creek case, Bottensek was accused of diverting $20,375 – raised from Lexington Creek PTO candy sales and auctions and earmarked for PTO activities and supplies – and using it to pay off a personal loan.

Bottensek made restitution of the Lexington Creek money, and received three years’ probation, a $100 fine and court costs, and 200 hours of community service in that case. Elliott said at the time prosecutors believed she had committed no other offense.

Her conviction in the Dulles Middle School case won’t cause her probation to be revoked, however, because the Dulles offense occurred before the Lexington Creek embezzlement, law enforcement officials said.