COVINGTON, Ga. -- A Conyers mayoral candidate pleaded guilty to a felony in Newton County Superior Court on Monday.

Kathy Harvey was sentenced to five years probation and a $1,000 fine for theft by conversion for cashing an $6,000 insurance check received as payment to a business doing carpeting work in her home in 2004.

According to Assistant District Attorney Anne Kurtz, Harvey received first-offender status that could remove the felony from Harvey's record if she completes her sentence.

Georgia law treats first-offender status convictions as felonies that don't involve violations of moral turpitude, making Harvey eligible to seek elective office as a first-offender probationer.