SIOUX CITY, Iowa — A Sioux City woman has been sentenced for stealing more than $11,000 from another woman after convincing the victim that she was being investigated.

Anna Perez-Joaquin, 40, pleaded guilty to first-degree theft in a March plea agreement. As part of the agreement, two other charges, commission of a specified unlawful activity influenced enterprise and extortion, were dismissed.

At Perez-Joaquin’s sentencing in Woodbury County District Court Monday, the judge sentenced her to 15 years in prison. She must also pay the victim $11,874 in restitution.

In the agreement, Perez-Joaquin admitted to deceiving a woman that the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services had opened an investigation into child abuse against the victim. Perez-Joaquin also convinced the victim to turn over her two children. The victim subsequently paid Perez-Joaquin $400 per month in child support.

Perez-Joaquin also admitted to convincing the victim to turn over the child tax credit check and the monthly death benefit the children received. In total, the victim paid more than $11,874 to Perez-Joaquin during the incident from August 2021 through December 2021.

At the time of her arrest, Sioux City police said the two women met through classes they took together.