WICHITA – A Sedgwick County Judge has sentenced 53-year-old Sharon D. Echols, of Wichita, to prison after she pled guilty to conspiracy to commit Medicaid fraud.

Echols was sentenced by District Judge Douglas Roth to eight months in prison. However, he granted her 12-months probation after she serves 30-days in jail as a condition of her probation.

Echols was convicted of signing timesheets for “home-based” services allegedly provided to her while she was in custody.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Amanda Voth, and total loss to the Kansas Medicaid Program was $2,234.63, and restitution has been ordered.

Sentencing for Echols’ son, Robert T. Echols, is scheduled for August 11, 2011.