A Lee County bank employee pleaded guilty Tuesday to embezzling nearly a half-million dollars from The Peoples Bank.

Federal prosecutors said Rebecca Dawn Long, 35, of Jonesville established a line of credit under a false name, then withdrew $487,685 during a four-year period. She pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Abingdon to five charges including bank fraud and bank embezzlement.

Long pleaded guilty without accepting a plea agreement that would have involved forfeiting all her and her husband's property, said her attorney, Dan Bieger of Abingdon.

A forfeiture hearing is scheduled for April 15 and sentencing is set for April 28.

-- Mike Gangloff