ABINGDON, Va. — A husband-and-wife real estate team from Wise County will serve more than a year in prison, after pleading guilty to charges in connection with a scheme to draw cash advances on fraudulent sales contracts.

Jessee Allen DeLoach, 40, and Natasha Ashley Miller DeLoach, 38, each pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud back in February. They admitted to submitting at least 19 fake property sales contracts to commission advance firms.

The firms typically offer real estate agents a way to get money from commissions on sales quicker, minus a fee for advancing the payment. But because the sales weren’t real, there was never any way for the firms to collect the money they were owed.

Both have now been sentenced to 15 months in prison.

The scheme generated more than $300,000 for the couple. The DeLoaches reportedly have already begun repaying the stolen money, but were ordered to pay the remaining $146,000 in restitution.