MUSKOGEE — The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced that Jo Ann Steward, 50, Albany, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years supervised release for theft of federal program funds, in violation of federal law

Steward was also ordered to pay $173,998.01 in restitution.

Charges arose from an investigation by the Durant Police Department and the United States Secret Service. Steward was indicted in September 2012 and pled guilty in October 2012.

The Indictment alleged that on or about September 12, 2007, through October 23, 2009, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Steward, the Office Manager of Reynolds Construction, a business receiving benefits in excess of $10,000 each year from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and United States Department of Agriculture, embezzled, stole, obtained by fraud or otherwise without authority converted property worth at least $5,000 and under the care, custody or control of Reynolds Construction.