Michael J. Moore, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced that Sherry Lynn Osborne, age 45, a resident of Tifton, Georgia, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court, Valdosta Division, on July 29, 2013 by the Honorable Hugh Lawson to thirty-seven (37) months imprisonment. Judge Lawson also ordered Ms. Osborne to pay $735,454.75 in restitution.
Ms. Osborne entered a plea of guilty on February 25, 2013, to conspiracy to Possess Stolen U.S. Treasury Checks, Uttering Forged Securities and Embezzling Public Monies. In her plea, Ms. Osborne admitted to receiving and depositing stolen and fraudulently obtained tax refund checks or fraudulently obtained refund anticipation loan checks into her bank accounts and then withdrawing the proceeds, retaining a portion for herself and providing the rest to the individual who had originally provided her with the checks. Court records showed that Ms. Osborne admitted that she deliberately avoided knowing the specific source and nature of the checks even though she should have known this information. In total, from September to November 2011, Ms. Osborne presented approximately $1,200,000 in stolen and fraudulent tax refund checks and refund anticipation loan checks for deposit into her accounts.
“When Ms. Osborne stole from the Treasury, she stole from us all. My office will continue to use our efforts to enforce the law. This case should remind people of the lesson we were all taught as children cheaters never win,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Moore.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Tift County Sheriffs Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert D. McCullers for the Government.
Inquiries regarding the case should be directed to Sue McKinney, Public Affairs Specialist, United States Attorney’s Office at (478) 621-2602.
