NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A former U.S. Air Force employee who pleaded guilty to stealing almost $1.5 million from the U.S. government is facing four years in prison.
Michelle Holt told the judge through tears at Wednesday’s sentencing hearing that she was sorry for stealing from the government.
The judge said Holt’s fraud was too extensive, and went on too long to go with the sentencing guidelines in this case.
The guidelines called for Holt to get 30 to 37 months, but the judge went over that and sentenced her to 48 months — or four years — on charges of computer fraud and theft of government property. She and her legal team were expecting worse.
“Frankly I thought he would exceed the guidelines by far more than he imposed,” Holt’s attorney William Johnson said. “When he said 48 months I can’t say I was surprised and I can’t say I was unpleased.”
Holt worked as a civilian in the Air Force from 1992 through August 2018. For 16 years, she altered her time cards, giving herself extra holiday and overtime pay. She was caught due to an audit. Federal investigators say she falsely claimed more than 42,000 hours of unauthorized overtime she never worked.
“She wasn’t a big spender,” Johnson added. “She wasn’t out here blowing money on fancy cars and fancy trips and fancy wardrobes. She spent a lot of money on families and medical bills for relatives and things like that.”
On Wednesday, Holt was also ordered to repay the more than $1.4 million she stole from the government, though the judge admitted most of the money will most likely never be recovered.
Holt wrote a letter to the judge asking for mercy. She said since she left Langley, she was teaching 3rd grade at a day care.
“As Holt’s pay rose, so did her stealing,” Judge Raymond Jackson said. “She took advantage of the system and undermined the government.”
Jackson made it clear that there has be message sent in this case, not only to Holt, but to others who think they can steal from the government.
“She feels humiliated,” Johnson added. “She let her coworkers down, she has let the military down and she has let her family down.”
Holt will have 10 days to turn herself in and start serving her prison sentence.
