AIKEN --- A 34-year-old Aiken woman, accused of stealing more than $300,000 from her employer's personal account, was sentenced Wednesday to serve four years of a five-year prison sentence.

Elizabeth Darby Copeland pleaded guilty to four counts of breach of trust more than $5,000.

Judge Jack Early, of the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court, suspended one year of the five-year sentence. He also sentenced Mrs. Copeland to five years' probation and ordered her to pay restitution of more than $350,000 to her former employer, Cot Campbell of Dogwood Stables.

Mr. Campbell hired Mrs. Copeland as an executive secretary in 2003. She was responsible for maintaining files, paying personal bills and mailing income tax returns and tax payments to the Internal Revenue Service.

Soon after being hired, Mrs. Copeland began writing checks on Mr. Campbell's personal checking account and depositing them in her account, Assistant Solicitor Steven Kodman said. She never mailed the tax returns and cashed payments meant for the IRS, he said.

In March, Mr. Campbell learned his tax returns had not been filed for four years and that he owed taxes. An investigation by Aiken Public Safety revealed that Mrs. Copeland had embezzled money on 67 occasions, spending it on a down payment for a house, an interior decorator, vacations, gifts, clothes, private school for her son, a Lexus, a nanny and day care. She also paid off her and her husband's student loans.

Mr. Kodman said the defendant did not steal for necessity or for any reason other than greed.

Friends and family spoke on Mrs. Copeland's behalf, condemning her actions but asking the judge to show leniency.

Mr. Campbell also addressed the court, telling Judge Early that he had been devoted to Mrs. Copeland and treated her like a daughter.

In Mr. Campbell's book that was published in 2007, he recognized Mrs. Copeland on the dedication page as his "strong right arm" and "the mother of all problem solvers."

"Any kind of thievery is inexcusable, of course, but if she had stolen because she wasn't paid enough or to take care of her family or even because she had a drug habit, there would be vestiges of understanding," he said. "But Darby stole for things."

Before he rendered his decision on sentencing, Judge Early told Mrs. Copeland that her "stunning betrayal" of Mr. Campbell's trust was incomprehensible and that he couldn't in good conscience go along with a sentence of 90 days in jail recommended by her attorney, James Whittle.