A woman who stole money intended to pay for police reports while working as a secretary for the Utah Highway Patrol has been sentenced to 18 months of probation and 30 days of home confinement.

Deana Marie Balistrire, 49, pleaded guilty in Ogden's 2nd District Court to one count of third-degree felony misuse of public money. By agreement of the attorneys, the charge was then reduced to a class A misdemeanor.

Balistrire, who has resigned from her job, stole about $100 last year by keeping small amounts of cash paid by people to obtain police and traffic reports.

Defense attorney Todd Utzinger said Friday that Balistrire had worked nearly 30 years for the state and became depressed at the prospect of her impending retirement.

"She made some very poor decisions," Utzinger said, "but has acknowledged what she did and is paying the money back."

Judge Scott Hadley ordered Balistrire to pay a $555 fine and perform 150 hours of community service. She also was ordered to pay $1,000 restitution, about $900 of which is to cover the cost of the criminal investigation.

Stephen Hunt