An ISU student pleaded guilty to first-degree theft Friday after being arrested by ISU Police in January for ongoing criminal conduct and theft.

Shawn Picket of Des Moines was arrested by ISU Police on Jan. 14 on a total of five felony charges.

In January of 2003, ISU Police received a complaint indicating a student had obtained another student’s access number and used the number to place loans in his bank account, ISU Police reports said.

The number belonged to Candice Walker, 26, of Des Moines, who was subsequently arrested for her participation in the incident, ISU Police said. Walker was enrolled as a student in the fall of 2002 and spring of 2003, but did not attend classes. She received financial aid for those semesters but deposited the money into Picketts’ account.

Together, the two were able to obtain more than $17,000 in fraudulent loans from financial aid.

Pickett stood before Judge Timothy Finn with his attorney, Daniel Gonnerman, at the Story County Courthouse. Pickett entered a plea of guilty of theft in the first degree. First-degree theft is a Class C felony. If convicted, Pickett could face up to 15 years in prison and be fined as much as $10,000.

“He was agreeable to a lesser offense that he believes more formally describes what he did,” Gonnerman said.

He said Pickett is hopeful the state will allow probation for his charges. “It is hopeful that the judge will grant him probation in this matter,” Gonnerman said.

Attempts to contact Stephen Holmes, Story County Attorney and prosecutor for the case, were unsuccessful.

According to ISU Police reports, Pickett was enrolled in the fall of 2001 and spring of 2002 but withdrew both semesters due to military duty. Investigation by police showed Pickett had not served in active duty since the 1980s. Pickett was able to gain $7,500 in financial benefits from the university he was not eligible for.

In 2001, Walker obtained a no-contact order against Pickett, but later dropped the order.

In 1998, Walker was charged with first-degree burglary in Polk County.

Sentencing is scheduled for 10 a.m. May 10 in the Story County Courthouse in Nevada.