When Stacey Williams was working as a paralegal for a Stamford law firm a few years ago, she stole more than $120,000 in loan funds. That was the charge after the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force conducted an investigation. On Wednesday, Williams, 39, of Trumbull, waived her right to indictment and pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in New Haven to one count of wire fraud. She now faces a 30-year maximum prison term.

According to court documents and statements, Williams was assigned to oversee a home equity loan application for a client while working at the Stamford firm. The client applied to borrow money from Countrywide Home Loans, an affiliate of California-based Countrywide Bank, FSB. But the client told Williams in December 2007 he had changed his mind and no longer wanted the loan. Williams applied for the loan in the client’s name, and Countrywide wired $149,824 to the law firm’s Connecticut bank account. Williams then withdrew $123,956 from the account for personal use from January to May 2008.

Senior U.S. District Judge Ellen Bree Burns is scheduled to sentence Williams on May 26. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.

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