A Kunkletown area woman who admitted stealing from her church when she was treasurer was sentenced on Thursday in Carbon County court to a short jail term followed by a long probation period.

Yvonne L. Anthony, 53, of 1670 Lower Smith Gap Road, was sentenced by President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II to serve 30 days in jail, two months in the county's Intermediate Punishment Program with electronic monitoring, and 24 months of regular probation. Anthony previously pleaded guilty to a charge of theft by deception-false impression.Nanovic told Anthony he was ready to give a much longer jail term but because she had made restitution in the case and cooperated fully with state police at Lehighton when confronted about the thefts, he reduced the prison time.Anthony was charged by troopers after they received a complaint from members of Salem United Methodist Church on Forest Inn Road, Lower Towamensing Township.Vendors supplying the church started to complain about unpaid bills.The investigation by Trooper Nicolas De La Iglesia revealed Anthony fabricated bank documents, falsely claiming a bank error was the cause of checks that were returned for the purchase of malt or brewed beverages in the course of her licensed liquor business, Palm Beverage of Palmerton.Defense attorney Gregory Lee Mousseau said Anthony used the money to support the failing beverage business. It was also revealed during the sentencing proceeding that Anthony's husband's construction business had failed and some of the money was used for that.Mousseau said Anthony, "robbed Peter to pay Paul."He added that Anthony sold the beverage business and building to help raise the money needed for restitution.In a prior court proceeding it was indicated that the church was out $27,112.55.The church recovered the funds through its insurance carrier, Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Company of Bala Cynwyd.The insurance firm then filed a civil suit against Anthony to recover the funds.Mousseau told Nanovic that Anthony has paid the insurance firm $15,000 to settle the suit and all claims.Anthony told Nanovic that she was getting deeper and deeper into debt with the beverage business. She also told the court she has had problems since her youth.When pressed by Nanovic to explain those problems, Anthony claimed she was abused as a child. She added that she did pay some bills of the church.She told the court, "I know what I did was wrong. I'm trying to put things in order in my life."She also added, "I'm truly sorry for what happened."Nanovic told her, "For more than six years you have been living a lie."In the state police investigation, which began in 2012, it was indicated Anthony was stealing funds over a six-year period beginning in 2006.In addition to the jail and probation terms Nanovic ordered Anthony to supply a DNA sample, pay court costs, which average about $1,000, and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on probation.She will begin the jail term at 6 p.m. Aug. 22.