BRIGHTON (WWJ) - A Livingston County nanny will serve time behind bars after faking breast cancer and bilking Good Samaritans out of more than $30,000.

Candace Streng of Brighton was sentenced to 28 1/2 months to 15 years Thursday after pleading guilty last month to larceny by false pretenses.

Livingston County prosecutors say Streng lied to friends, family and strangers about having cancer and raised the money for years.

Among those to speak at Streng's sentencing was Joan Walker, who set up a online GoFundMe account for Streng. Nearly 400 people donated, thinking they were helping to pay Streng's medical expenses.

"She tricked me, she tricked all of us," Walker told the court. "She came into our lives and made good, and then ruined my faith and trust in people in need. She stole money, lied to our faces, lied to our kids."

Speaking on behalf of herself and another mom, Sarah Bees asked for leniency for Streng, whom she said was left with nothing.

"No car, no home, no money, no friends, no job and basically no family," Bees said. "Prison is for people who are a danger to society, and we feel she is not. Candace is a bright young woman whom we believe deep down is a good person. We also believe she is mentally ill; serving more time would only make it worse."

Streng apologize in court Thursday, saying she concocted the story to make friends and gain attention.

"Now I rightly have no friends after such betrayal," Streng said. "I deeply regret trespassing those friends and strangers alike, who showed me so much love and generosity. I'm disgusted and ashamed that I lied to people and manipulated them out of their hard-earned money."

"I will forever live with the shame and guilt of my crime," she added, "and I'm sincerely sorry to all my victims."

The GoFundMe page, which erroneously stated that Streng had stage 4 breast cancer, was deactivated earlier this year following an investigation by Brighton police.

Streng has since paid more than $19,000 toward restitution owed to people who donated money.

The Associated Press contributed to those report.