CARRINGTON, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Southeast District Court Judge James Hovey sentenced Carrie Beth Cotton to nearly four years in prison on Tuesday, April 8. Cotton faced several charges, violating restraining orders, harassment and stalking, to impersonating law enforcement.

Originally she pleaded not guilty. But, on March 28, Cotton changed her plea to guilty, on an Alford plea which means she believes she’s innocence but admitted that the state had enough evidence to successfully reach a guilty verdict if she had gone to trial.

Judge Hovey sentenced Cotton to a total of 1,440 days or nearly four years in the North Dakota penitentiary.

Cotton will be on supervised probation for three years upon her release from prison.