An Albert Lea woman pleaded guilty Monday to stealing more than $100,000 from Olson Manufacturing, her former employer.

Rose Marie Modderman, 34, admitted the felony theft charge, which could incarcerate her up for up to 10 years and impose a $20,000 fine.

In her answers to the questions from public defender Chester Swenson, Modderman revealed how she was drawn into a chemical dependency by her boyfriend, and eventually committed the crime. Modderman said, in tears, that she knew what she was doing was wrong. She also said that she does not remember the amount she stole.

According to the complaint, Modderman used the company’s business checks to issue about $80,000 between November 2000 and May 2001. She is also suspected of drawing other checks totaling about $40,000 for herself, friends and creditors.

Swenson revealed her abusive relationship with the boyfriend. Modderman called police in Denver to get away from his violence in this November, which led to her arrest. The pair had fled Albert Lea and moved to Denver last year.

Swenson asked for a reduction of bail, currently set at $80,000. But Judge James Broberg ruled to wait for the result of a bail study.