Kimberly Jo Harrison pleaded guilty Tuesday to embezzling more than $180,000 from her Salisbury employer and will serve 18 months in jail.

Judge Kathleen L. Beckstead sentenced Harrison, 37, of Salisbury, to 10 years but suspended all but the 18 months. Harrison will be supervised on probation for two years.

Harrison has made full restitution to her employer, Kitty’s Flowers in Salisbury, prosecutors said.

Between July 2014 and October 2018, Harrison -- who worked as Sales and Office Manager for Kitty’s -- embezzled more than $180,000 by cancelling transactions within the Kitty’s Flowers point of sale software and stole the corresponding cash out of the register.

According to prosecutors, prior to July 2014, the point of sale software did not track cancelled transactions. In July 2014, the point of sale software updated and began tracking canceled transactions.

In October 2018, the owners of Kitty’s Flowers became suspicious and uncovered Harrison’s scheme. 

Wicomico County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Dykes specifically thanked Salisbury Police Department Detective Troy Underwood, the lead investigator, for his work on the case.

Assistant State’s Attorney Lauren Bourdon prosecuted this case with the assistance of Katherine Bixler. 

“My sincere hope is that felony convictions and sentences like Ms. Harrison’s demonstrate to our community that crimes that stem from an abuse of trust will not be tolerated in Wicomico County,” Dykes said.