Former Harris Co. employee pleads guilty to theft

HOUSTON A tearful Eloise Mireles testified at her punishment hearing today. She and her husband, Daniel, pleaded guilty to stealing $257,000 from the Victims Assistance Restitution Fund at the District Attorney's Office.

Mireles told the judge she's already collected more than $94,000 and has offered to pay that money toward restitution. Mireles also asked for probation so she could raise the rest of the money. She insisted her husband never knew where the checks he was cashing actually came from.

Police recovered stolen checks during a raid on the couple's southeast Houston home last December.