A Sioux Center woman has been sentenced for felony theft in connection with a case that arose last November. According to Sioux County Attorney Thomas Kunstle, 29-year-old Blanca Cecilia Castro Ramos, of Sioux Center was sentenced July 31 in Sioux County District Court for the crimes of Theft in The First Degree, Fraudulent Practice in the Second Degree, and Fraudulent Practice in the Third Degree.
The case arose in November of 2022, when a Sioux Center business contacted the Sioux Center Police Department about a former employee who was overbilling, altering bills, and keeping the extra money for herself. Castro Ramos previously served as the bookkeeper and had access to the business financing and billing. The investigation revealed Castro Ramos stole significant amounts of money between February and November of 2022, resulting in ten felony charges including Ongoing Criminal Conduct, Theft, and Fraudulent Practice.
Castro Ramos pled guilty on July 31, and was sentenced pursuant to a plea agreement with the State. The District Court convicted her of Theft in the First Degree, Fraudulent Practice in the Second Degree, and Fraudulent Practice in the Third Degree. The District Court further sentenced Castro Ramos to a 15-year prison sentence which was suspended while she completes four years of probation. Castro Ramos was ordered to pay more than 4-thousand-dollars in criminal fines, victim restitution of more than 54-thousand-dollars, as well as a $300 probation supervision fee. Finally, Castro Ramos was further sentenced to serve 30 days in the Sioux County Jail.
