Ex-court clerk gets 12 years for stealing millions from Georgia taxpayers

MUSCOGEE COUNTY, Ga. – A former Georgia courtroom clerk accused of stealing cash from fines and costs his workplace collected was sentenced Thursday to greater than 12 years in federal jail.

A U.S. District Court docket decide in Columbus imposed the sentence for 64-year-old Willie Demps of neighboring Phenix Metropolis, Alabama. Demps pleaded responsible to financial institution fraud and tax evasion prices within the case earlier this yr.

Federal prosecutors mentioned Demps dedicated fraud that value Muscogee County hundreds of thousands of {dollars} when he served as deputy courtroom clerk. Demps was chargeable for fines, charges and different funds the workplace collected — usually in money that was saved in an workplace secure. Investigators discovered the workplace took in $5.5 million throughout a decade-long interval spanning 2010 to 2019, however solely $210 was deposited into official accounts.

Throughout that very same interval, prosecutors mentioned, Demps wrote 330 separate checks from the clerk’s workplace totaling $1.3 million to a number of accomplices, who cashed the checks and obtained a minimize after giving the cash to Demps.

“Somewhat than serve the individuals of Muscogee County, Willie Demps served solely himself. Over the course of a few years, Demps used his place of belief to steal hundreds of thousands of {dollars} from Muscogee County taxpayers to fund his playing behavior and pay for a wide range of private bills,” mentioned U.S. Legal professional Peter D. Leary. “I wish to commend the investigators with the FBI, IRS and Columbus Police Division for his or her meticulous and relentless effort to hunt justice on this case.” 

Decide Clay Land ordered Demps to pay $1.3 million in restitution to the clerk’s workplace and practically $360,000 in uncollected taxes to the IRS, with funds coming from garnishment of Demps’ retirement advantages.

5 different defendants have been additionally sentenced for crimes associated to the fraud case.

The Related Press contributed to this case.