A Cassopolis woman will be paying off her debt to her victim — and to the public — after using a credit stolen from a vehicle at a county park in Niles.

Judge Michael Dodge sentenced Angella Michelle McConnell, 35, to 120 days in jail and two years of probation during her appearance in Cass County court Friday, on charges of illegal use of a financial transaction device and stealing a financial transaction device. She was also ordered to pay $390 worth of restitution to her victim.

McConnell pleaded guilty to both counts during a prior appearance in court on Aug. 24.

The charges stem from an incident that began on Nov. 10, 2014, when the Cassopolis woman broke into a vehicle belonging to Dowagiac’s Heather Hotrum while it was parked inside Niles’ Arthur Dodd Memorial Park. McConnell stole several items from the interior of the automobile, including credit and bank cards belonging to Hotrum.

The next day, the defendant used one of those cards to make a purchase at Judge Convenience store in Dowagiac, Dodge said.

“The victim, with the assistance of law enforcement and the Visa credit card company, eventually tracked you down,” Dodge said. “They viewed a surveillance tape and discovered you were the person making that purchase with the stolen gift card.”

In addition to financial damage, McConnell also caused Hotrum to close and open several accounts and reissue payroll checks to her employees, Dodge said. The identity theft also took an emotional toll on Hotrum and her family.

“Certainly, significant problems for the victim were created by this impulsive criminal act of yours,” Dodge said.

The Cassopolis woman was serving a term of probation in Van Buren County at the time of the offense for a prior methamphetamine conviction, the judge said. Van Buren authorities have since issued a bench warrant for her arrest due to the probation violation.

“McConnell is captured by drugs, clearly,” said Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz. “She has two prior convictions for methamphetamine…she needs to get a hold of that.”

McConnell admitted to the court that she was suffering from a drug problem, and apologized to the victim for her actions last winter.

While the judge expressed reluctance at placing the defendant on another term of probation due to her prior violation, he decided to forgo a straight jail sentence in order to assure that she follows through with her restitution, he said.

“By placing you on probation, the court has a little bit more authority and continuing hold on you to ensure you pay the victim back for the losses they incurred,” Dodge said.

McConnell was given credit for 72 days credit for time already served.

Also sentenced Friday:

• Christopher William Ledford, 24, of Cassopolis, to two years of probation and 90 days on tether for failure to register as a sex offender.

• Dale Junior Irving, 64, of Cassopolis, to two years of probation and 30 days in jail for operating while intoxicated.

• Joshua Phillip Tubergen, 42, of Hamilton, Michigan, to 270 days in jail for operating while intoxicated and possession of an analogue substance.

• Tonniel Lynn Davis, 36, of Edwardsburg, to two years of probation for various methamphetamine related charges.