Former Bookkeeper Will Get Four Years

The former bookkeeper of horse trainer Charlie Whittingham will be sentenced to four years in prison for embezzling nearly $1.5 million from the trainer, authorities said Wednesday.

Sally Ann Stubblefield, who pleaded no contest to four felony counts, was released from jail to get her affairs in order before the scheduled Jan. 22, 1991 sentencing, Deputy District Attorney Don Tamura said.

Attorneys and the judge agreed to a four-year prison term for Stubblefield, the district attorney’s office said.

Stubblefield, 54, was accused of forging more than 500 checks in the names of Whittingham’s former employees and depositing the checks in her bank account over five years.