Prosecutor Accused of Stealing Money for Crime Victims to Buy Pillow, Pillowcase and Other Items

Georgia county prosecutor Stephanie Woodard was indicted on 24 counts of theft and fraud, the Attorney General announced

A Georgia county prosecutor has been indicted and accused of stealing taxpayer funds to pay for personal expenses including buying a Target pillow and pillowcase she claimed was for a crime victim, according to the Georgia Attorney General’s Office.

On June 18, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced in a news release that Hall County Solicitor General Stephanie Woodard was indicted on 11 counts of theft by taking and 13 counts of false statements and writings. She denies the allegations.

Woodard, who is an elected official, allegedly claimed that she used some of the money to pay for items for crime victims, the Attorney General said in the release.

She allegedly bought some items with a credit card issued by the county, according to the release.

Woodard was released without having to post bail after a court hearing on June 18, the Associated Press and WYFF 4 report.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Woodard's attorneys, Marissa Goldberg and Drew Finding, said, "Ms. Woodard has been a dedicated public servant for the past 16 years, as the elected Solicitor General on behalf of the people of Hall County.

"She has been deeply committed to the plight of victims, particularly those in domestic violence situations, and has been focused on the recovery and stability for citizens and families, including defendants under her purview.

"The decision by the Attorney General’s Office to institute charges against her in this absurd indictment is unfathomable and a waste of court time and taxpayer dollars. She absolutely committed no crime, but yet she has been viciously pursued by the GBI for years," the statement continues. It later adds: "We do not say this lightly- the misguided Attorney General’s Office is utterly and provably wrong here."

In his lengthy release about the indictment, Carr laid out the allegations against Woodard, stating that "On several occasions from July 2018 through September 2022,” Woodard “is alleged to have unlawfully acquired funds from Hall County and the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia (PAC) to cover personal and unrelated expenses.”

The indictment contains a number of travel expenditures for which Woodard is alleged to have obtained reimbursement for expenses she had previously submitted to PAC or had never actually incurred, the release states. "To support these purchases, the defendant is alleged to have made false statements and falsified documents, including receipts," it says.

In June 2022, the Attorney General alleges, “the defendant made a false statement that a receipt from the restaurant First Watch was an expense for abuse awareness and then took funds from Hall County,” the release states.

In August 2022, the defendant allegedly “used her Hall County P-Card to make a purchase related to Law School Admissions,” according to the release. “The defendant then made false statements and writings that the registration and receipt from the Law School Admissions Council were for a victim in a local youth program.”

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In July 2021, Woodard allegedly “made a false statement that a reimbursement request was for a dog cremation for an old magistrate court case and then took funds from Hall County,” according to the release.

In September 2022, she allegedly “used her Hall County P-Card to make a purchase at Target,” the release states. “The defendant then made a false writing that a pillow and pillow case were for a victim.”

Carr stated in the release that “Those elected to uphold the law must operate honestly, ethically and transparently, and anything less undermines our system.

“Theft of taxpayer dollars and falsifying documents to cover up that theft are entirely unacceptable.”

This case was investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The Attorney General’s announcement came after an investigation into the alleged theft in 2022 by the Fox 5 I-Team.

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