ATLANTA – A former payroll clerk for the Milledgeville Housing Authority has pleaded guilty in federal court in Macon to stealing more than $575,000 by overpaying herself.
Jennifer Kay Smith, 49, of Eatonton pleaded guilty Monday to one count of federal program theft. Smith faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $250,000.
According to court documents, a coworker discovered that Smith had been stealing money from the housing authority since January 2021 by adding vacation time and sick leave on top of her normal work week so she was being paid for more than 40 hours per week.
Smith paid herself more than $40,000 above her regular salary in 2021 and more than $500,000 above her salary between Jan. 1 and Aug. 11, 2022. In all, she admitted stealing $575,014.50.
“Stealing taxpayer dollars is a crime that both erodes public trust and harms the affected federal program,” U.S. Attorney Peter Leary said. “Our office will hold accountable government employees who take advantage of their positions to commit theft or other crimes.”
The case was investigated by the Milledgeville Police Department, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Secret Service. Sentencing for Smith will be set by the court.