DETROIT (AP) - Three people are going to prison for a scheme to sell the trade secrets of an auto-supply company to a Chinese competitor.

Anne Lockwood of Rockford, Mich., a former vice president of Metaldyne Corp., got the stiffest sentence, 30 months in custody. Acting U.S. Attorney Terrence Berg called her the "driving force."

Fuping Liu of Flushing was sentenced to nine months Friday.

They pleaded guilty to conspiracy. They were accused of stealing secrets on how to make powdered-metal connecting rods to displace Metaldyne as supplier to Navistar, a truck builder. But the scheme did not succeed.

The Detroit Free Press says Lockwood's husband, Michael Haehnel, was sentenced to six months in custody for a misdemeanor. Metaldyne is based in Plymouth, a Detroit suburb.