A former Cayuga Community College student pleaded guilty in Cayuga County Court Thursday to stealing more than $22,000 by rerouting money from a college bank account to his private account.

Eric Sutton, 18, of 81 Genesee St., Apartment 2B3, said he used information he found on a copy of an old financial aid refund check to gain access to the campus account. Sutton said he began stealing the money after he lost his financial aid package when he failed some of his classes.

Sutton also admitted that he committed identity theft when he posed as a college employee in order to answer security questions to ensure that the money he stole made it into his account.

Sutton then admitted he stole his roommate's credit card out of the mail and used it to make purchases for himself. The credit card had originally been mailed by the victim's mother to purchase text books, Sutton said.

Sutton is expected to receive a shock-camp eligible prison term and is will make more than $23,000 in restitution when he is sentenced on July 17.