AUBURN -- A Geneva woman who manufactured and cashed $52,000 worth of fraudulent checks across New York and Pennsylvania has a "sickness," said Cayuga County Judge Mark Fandrich during her sentencing Tuesday.

Pamela Mills, 30, was sentenced to two to four years in state prison for two felony charges of second-degree identity theft.

"I didn't mean to hurt anyone," Mills said in court.

"The small business owners you stole from certainly were hurt by your actions," Fandrich replied.

Mills, 30, will have to pay restitution out of any money she earns or receives while imprisoned for cashing a fraudulent $614.65 check at the Ed and Jeans Market in Port Byron April 30, 2005, and a $788.76 check at the Auburn Citgo gas station Nov. 22, 2005.

Mills bought blank checks from an office supply store that she imprinted with fraudulent business names, bank routing numbers and bank account numbers using a home computer. Mills' Cayuga County crimes were the use of another woman's name on the checks and the use of that woman's lost driver's license.

For the full report, read Wednesday's edition of The Citizen.