LAS CRUCES - A former Las Cruces Best Buy employee was sentenced to three years in prison Tuesday for defrauding customers.



Amanda Inez Hopkins, 20, (on right) pleaded guilty in October to 10 counts of credit card fraud and receiving stolen property between January and March 2008.



Hopkins was convicted of opening new credit card accounts for customers and using the information to buy more than $20,000 worth of items. The former customer service representative used six customer accounts to purchase big-ticket items, including televisions, computers and iPods.



Best Buy subsequently compensated the customers with gift cards and repaired any damage to their credit reports. The store also instituted new policies to ensure the fraud would not re-occur, according to the Do-a Ana Sheriff's Department.