The first of three people charged with stealing nearly $8 million from an armored car company near Youngstown, Ohio, has been sentenced to serve five years in federal prison.

Nicole D. Boyd, 25, of Youngstown, could have been sentenced to as much as 25 years for her role in one of the largest-ever thefts in Ohio. But U.S. District Judge John R. Adams yesterday ordered a much shorter sentence for Ms. Boyd, who pleaded guilty to bank robbery, transporting stolen goods and other charges, had no prior criminal record and has been active in her church since her arrest.

During a hearing in Akron, Ohio, Judge Adams also ordered Ms. Boyd to spend three years on supervised release after leaving prison and to pay $1,435 in restitution.

Her ex-boyfriend, Roger Lee Dillon, 23, and Mr. Dillon's mother, Sharon Lee Gregory, 49, both of Youngstown, also have pleaded guilty to charges in the Nov. 26 heist and are scheduled to be sentenced today in Akron.

The three have admitted to concocting a scheme to steal millions from a branch of AT Systems International Inc. after the busy post-Thanksgiving shopping weekend. Mr. Dillon worked for about nine months as a driver and messenger for AT Systems, which provides cash handling and delivery services to banks and other businesses.

Investigators said Mr. Dillon used his access and knowledge to enter the company's branch office in suburban Youngstown and drive away with 2,000 pounds of money and checks in less than 24 minutes. Most of the $7.9 million haul was cash, which Ms. Boyd helped Mr. Dillon to load, authorities said.

But the three made a series of gaffes that enabled investigators to track them to a rented mobile home outside Pipestem, W.Va., where FBI agents said they'd holed up to count the money. A co-worker identified Mr. Dillon after seeing him caught on a back-up surveillance camera during the heist.

They also left receipts for heating oil that had been delivered to their planned hideout inside Ms. Boyd's purple pickup truck when they ditched it in Salem, Ohio.

Most of the money was recovered.

Investigators also determined that Mr. Dillon in August stole a bag containing $50,000 to prepare for the much larger theft three months later.

In court papers, Mr. Dillon's attorney said Mr. Dillon and Ms. Boyd had been homeless for a time and had suffered financial difficulties, including losing a home to foreclosure, prior to the theft.