A former secretary at the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center has been sentenced to one year and one month in prison for stealing more than $80,000 in government funds, authorities said Thursday.
Zerry Feaster, 46, of Ellenwood, pleaded guilty in June to seven counts of theft of government funds and five counts of making false statements, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
While working in the Police Services Division at the VA Medical Center in Decatur, Feaster misused her government-issued credit card for two years beginning in February 2010, according to the information presented in court. Instead of using the card to buy office supplies and equipment, she purchased pre-paid gift cards that she later used for personal items, authorities said.
“Rather than supporting the men and women who have served our country honorably, Ms. Feaster stole from the VA to gamble and buy herself luxury goods at Coach and Tiffany,” U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said in the news release.
Feaster created fake purchase orders for supplies and equipment to try to cover up her fraud, officials said.
Her prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. She also must pay restitution of more than $88,000.
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