ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A former financial employee with the Alexandria Fire Department has pleaded guilty to money laundering and could face up to 40 years in prison.

Monique Jackson-Asante’s job responsibility included processing invoices from vendors doing business with the fire department.

Prosecutor David Lord said Jackson-Asante, 39, wrote several checks to friends who were not vendors, with the understanding that they would share the money with her.

Jackson-Asante processed fraudulent invoices totaling more than $186,000, according to details in the plea agreement.

Alexandria police were alerted to the scheme by one of Jackson-Assante’s former friends.

In the agreement, prosecutors said they would ask the judge to sentence Jackson-Asante to no more than two years in the penitentiary, although the statutory maximum for the crime is 40 years.

Jackson-Asante’s attorney, Timothy Ward, declined to comment on why she decided to plead guilty.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter said he would comment after sentencing on May 11, 2017.