DETROIT -- A former Detroit Public Schools grant director pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $1.3 million from the district by submitting fake tutoring invoices.

According to federal court records, Carolyn Starkey-Darden, 69, acquired the money between 2005 to 2012. She billed DPS for tutoring services never provided to students.

U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade's office says Starkey-Darden left the district at the conclusion of a near-40-year career in 2005. She then created multiple after-school and tutoring entities that billed and were paid at least $1.275 million fraudulently, the government says.

She pleaded guilty to a count of fraud from a federal program. The U.S. Attorney's Office announced its intent to seek forfeiture of nearly $1 million in cash, stocks and other assets owned by Starkey-Darden, including her 2012 Land Rover.

"We know that most school officials and teachers are honest, but we hope to deter fraud by holding accountable those who steal funds from our school children," said United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade. "It makes a difference when those who are tempted by greed know that someone is watching and there is a price to be paid."

Starkey-Darden faces up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000. The 38-year employee will be sentenced at 10 a.m. on Oct. 28.

FBI Detroit Division Special Agent David P. Gelios said the guilty plea was "another step towards holding Ms. Starkey-Darden responsible for cheating Detroit Public Schools students out of valuable resources by fraudulently billing for her company's services."

"The message should be clear: Public funds allocated to educate our children must be utilized as intended. To those that would do otherwise, you will be held to account."

Gov. Rick Snyder last week signed off on a $617 million plan to keep afloat the nearly bankrupt Detroit schools. The plan calls for paying down the district's debt, establishing a new school board and further restricting teacher strikes.