As her lawyer described to the court the downward spiral her personal and professional life has entered since her arrest for insurance fraud eight months ago, 24-year-old Kayleigh Sundman simply sat in silence.

“She has lost her job,” said Robert Drake, her defense attorney. “Her career path was in the medical field, and realizes that her record will now prevent her from pursuing that. Three years of college have been wasted.”

Sundman, of Dowagiac, was sentenced to 18 months probation for her crime on Friday morning in the Cass County Circuit courthouse, by Judge Michael Dodge. She pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit insurance fraud last month.

The charges stemmed from an incident that occurred in February, in which Sundman staged an accident to make it appear that she hit a deer with a Chevrolet Impala, in order to collect the insurance money to purchase a newer vehicle. She and then Cass County deputy sheriff Steven Keene concocted the plot together. Keene helped Sundman crash the car into the tree and submitted falsified evidence to support her insurance claim.

“As far as the intricacy of the job, the police report states that it was pretty shabbily done,” Drake said. “The damage to the car didn’t match up with the report they made, so officer Keene had to, on more than one occasion, travel out to the scene, to keep changing it and adding evidence.”

When asked if she would like to comment on her case, Sundman told Judge Dodge that the idea of defrauding her auto insurance company was originally planted by Keene, with whom she was involved romantically.

“I had a vehicle before, when Keene and I were first friends,” she said. “When the front axel fell off, he gave me the idea from that first car that this was an option, that we could crash that car and collect the insurance money.”

Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz argued during the hearing that Sundman serve prison time for the offense, which carries a recommended sentence of 10 years. Fitz reasoned this sentence was appropriate for Sundman’s case, due to the amount of prior planning the two put into the false accident.

Keene, who was also arrested earlier this year in connection to the crime, was tried in Kalamazoo County due to his then employment with the Cass County Sheriff’s Department. The 49 year-old Dowagiac resident also pleaded guilty, and will receive his sentence on Monday, where he is expected to also receive probation.

Dodge, when handing down Sundman’s sentence, said that it wouldn’t be fair to issue prison time to her when her co-conspirator will likely avoid such a sentence.

Prior to her arrest, Sundman had no prior convictions of her record.

Also sentenced Friday were:

• Stromeg Jackson, 39, of Dowagiac, sentenced to 365 days in Cass County jail for multiple charges, including possession of a firearm by a felon and the manufacturing of marijuana. Jackson was arrested on May 1, after a search by the Cass County Drug Enforcement Team uncovered marijuana and an illegally modified shotgun at his Walnut Street residence. He pleaded guilty to the charges last month, and will receive 206 days credit for time served off his sentence.

• Casey Bainbridge, 37, of Marcellus, was given a minimum two years prison sentence, with a maximum of 15 years, for charges of possession of methamphetamine and maintaining a drug house. Bainbridge was arrested on June 24, after a search by his parol officer uncovered the substance and evidence that he was using. Bainbridge’s sentencing was adjourned on Nov. 15, after his council requested that he undergo evaluation for entry into an addiction treatment program that would allow him to avoid prison. He was found ineligible.

• Paul Rachac, 33, of Three Rivers, was sentenced to 365 days in jail for fleeing a police officer and driving under the influence. Rachac was arrested after leading police on a chase through Edwardsburg, after an officer attempted to stop him for driving erratically down US-12 and M-63. Rachac eventually ran his vehicle off the road and attempted to flee on foot, forcing the officers to physically subdue him. He was found to have a .23 blood alcohol level at the time of his arrest. In addition to prison time, his driver’s license was also revoked.

• Kevin Kujawa, 27, of Niles, was sentenced to 150 days in jail plus two years probation for possession of heroin and larceny of a building. Kujawa was arrested on Sept. 26, after his mother reported that Kujawa stole and pawned off a number of her possessions. He pleaded guilty to the charges last month, and will receive 58 days credit for time served off his sentence.

• Jeffrey Russell, 53, of White Pigeon, was sentenced to 90 days in jail for possession and manufacturing of marijuana. Russell was arrested Sept. 12 after police discovered marijuana plants at his residence. Russell said he was using the substance for pain relief, since a heart condition prevents him from using over-the-counter medicine. He pleaded guilty to the charges last month, and will receive 59 days credit for time served off his sentence.

• Tammy Anglemyer, 44, of Cassopolis, was sentenced to two years probation for manufacturing methamphetamine. Anglemyer was arrested on April 7, after Michigan State police discovered the substance in her home while executing a warrant for the arrest of her boyfriend. As part of the terms of her probation, she will enter an addition treatment program.