Spring resident sent to prison for embezzling nearly $1M from local HVAC company

HOUSTON - A 52-year-old woman has been sentenced in a wire fraud embezzlement scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Sonia Yvonne Rodriguez pleaded guilty Aug. 15.

U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Rodriguez to serve 23 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. At the hearing, the victim testified that the defendant, once considered one of her best friends, had deeply betrayed her.

"This sentencing sends a clear message that those who abuse positions of trust for personal gain will face serious consequences," said Hamdani. "Embezzlement schemes like this not only harm businesses financially but also shatter personal and professional relationships built on trust. We remain committed to holding offenders accountable and seeking justice for victims."

For approximately 26 years, Sonia Yvonne Rodriguez worked as an office manager for a local heating, ventilating and air-conditioning company.

At the time of her plea, Rodriguez admitted to embezzling $938,387.26 in business funds allocated for federal tax payments from 2015 to 2020. Rodriguez would key payments into the company's accounting software for tax payments and subsequently clear out the payments from the check register upon making the payments into her personal bank account.

She was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sherin Daniel and James Hu prosecuted the case.