ATLANTA — Another Democratic state legislator, state Rep. Dexter Sharper, is expected to plead guilty to COVID-19 unemployment fraud charges.
Sharper, D-Valdosta, allegedly obtained $13,825 in unemployment insurance benefits even though he was still earning income in 2020 through his party rental business and his job as a state representative, according to charges filed Jan. 30.
Sharper initially pleaded not guilty, but federal court documents filed last week show he plans to change his plea during a hearing next month.
Sharper didn’t comment Tuesday, and his attorney didn’t respond to an email.
U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg said in a statement last month Sharper violated citizens’ trust in their government.
“While many of his constituents and fellow citizens were losing jobs and desperately needed unemployment assistance during the pandemic, Representative Sharper allegedly pretended to be out of work to collect a share of unemployment benefits for himself,” Hertzberg said.
Sharper was the third Democratic representative charged with defrauding pandemic unemployment programs.
Former state Rep. Karen Bennett, D-Stone Mountain, pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining $13,940 in unemployment supplements, and she resigned Jan. 1. She hasn’t yet been sentenced.
State Rep. Sharon Henderson, D-Covington, pleaded not guilty to similar charges related to $17,811 in unemployment benefits. Gov. Brian Kemp suspended her from office last month.