A Windsor woman was sentenced to a year in jail and three years of probation for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer, spending some of it on private school tuition and college housing for her son, a standout football player who later played in the NFL.

Annette Wright, who had been out of custody for the duration of her case, was placed in handcuffs and fought back tears before being led from Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Mark Urioste’s courtroom on Friday. Urioste also ordered Wright to pay restitution to Erickson Productions, a Petaluma photo and video company where she once worked as a bookkeeper.

Prosecutors said Wright used her position to embezzle about $950,000 from the company between 2010 to 2018.

“She could have stopped any time, but she didn’t,” Deputy District Attorney Amy Ariyoshi told the court.

Wright’s attorney, Christopher Andrian, argued the amount is closer to $500,000 — a key point in determining how much restitution Wright will ultimately pay. So far, about $200,000 has been repaid, and Andrian is disputing company owner James Erickson’s claim that losses approach $2 million.

“That’s been the hangup. Not acceptance of responsibility, but how much,” Andrian said.

He added: “I think the judge made the fair and correct ruling. I have no quarrel with him.”

Wright was charged in December 2021 and pleaded no contest to grand theft in March, just as jury selection was set to begin. She has not explained her motive for taking the money.

Until now, the clearest window into her spending came from a 2018 lawsuit Erickson Productions filed, which accused Wright of overpaying herself, falsely claiming overtime and giving herself bonuses. The lawsuit alleged she spent $48,000 on her daughter’s wedding and $28,000 on her son’s high school tuition.

But according to prosecutors, the total spending stretched far beyond that. The District Attorney’s Office said Wright spent at least $135,502 on travel for herself and family;$42,510 on Cardinal Newman High School tuition and books; $13,492 on her son’s housing and related expenses at the University of Arizona; and $28,961 on college football games.

Other spending, according to the prosecution, included $16,102 on sports team apparel; $17,986 on her daughter’s wedding; $45,160 on personal health care expenses; $46,582 on Amazon purchases; and $87,975 in checks payable to cash.

Wright’s son, Phil Wright III, was a two-time All-State football player at Cardinal Newman High and later played in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots. He also competed in other professional football leagues after leaving the NFL.