South Texas woman pleads guilty to halfway house theft

McALLEN, TX -- A South Texas woman has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $90,000 from a halfway house where she worked as an administrative assistant.

A U.S. attorney said Tuesday that 44-year-old Ofelia Alvarado Vallejo embezzled more than 600 money orders and vendor checks from the Mid Valley House. He says the theft happened between March 2012 and February 2013 at the Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.

The attorney says Vallejo deposited the money orders and vendor checks meant for the halfway house into her personal bank accounts. Vallejo will pay back the funds as part of the plea agreement.

Vallejo faces up to 10 years in federal prison. She remains free on bond.

The halfway house is located in Edinburg and holds up to 100 federal inmates.