A Lowe’s employee was spared jail time after entering a guilty plea to embezzling over $10,000 from his former employer.The man, Kenneth King, 31, entered a guilty plea recently before Circuit Court Judge Bart Stanley to the charge of grand theft. He was granted a three-year judicial diversion which means he can have his criminal record erased once he completes three years on probation. He was also directed to make restitution to Lowe’s in the amount of $11,116, perform 100 hours public service work, and maintain full-time employment.Police were summoned to the local Lowe’s last fall by the district manager who said they had caught King stealing from them.“The district manager, Ryan Funkhouser, told me Kenneth King had been taking money over the past few months from the store,” said McMinnville policeman Eddie Colwell in his warrant against King.Colwell then interviewed the suspect who reportedly told him how he had gotten away with stealing from the company for so many months.“He admitted to taking the money for his personal gain,” Colwell said, noting he avoided detection by hiding it under customer returns.