A northeast Iowa woman will spend more than three years in prison for defrauding insurance companies. Forty-six-year-old Melissa Williams of Dike, pled guilty to one count of mail fraud in March.

In the plea agreement she admitted she fraudulently obtained advanced sales commissions from two insurance companies while working as a salesperson. Williams says she submitted fake life insurance applications and paid the initial premiums to make the policies appear to be legitimate.

Williams was ordered to pay $175,000 in restitution to the insurance companies and was sentenced to 41 months in prison.