JACKSON Tenn – – US Attorney’s office issued a statement regarding the sentencing of former USJ employee Jessica Nichole Pinkerton for wire and tax fraud charges.
Keith Sherley was in the courtroom for the testimony and sentencing and will have exclusive details in a followup story on Point5digital.com and Monday on 101.5FM
Jackson, Tenn. – Edward L. Stanton III, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced today that Jessica Nicole Pinkerton, 33, of Humboldt, Tennessee, was sentenced this afternoon by Chief U.S. District Judge J. Daniel Breen to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay restitution of $749,543.70 to the University School of Jackson and the Internal Revenue Service. There is no parole in the federal prison system.
“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting white collar crime such as wire fraud and false statements on tax returns,” stated United States Attorney Edward L. Stanton, III. “When employees put into motion fraudulent schemes to illegally divert funds and place those funds in accounts for their own selfish gain, our office will make sure that these individuals are held accountable for their actions and vigorously prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to the criminal information and statements made during the sentencing hearing, Pinkerton was employed as a financial services manager at the University School of Jackson (USJ) from 2008 to 2014. Beginning in late 2009 through early 2014, Pinkerton, in her capacity as financial services manager, initiated Automatic Clearing House (ACH) transfers of USJ funds
into her personal bank account. Pinkerton also filed a 2013 IRS form 1040, stating that her earned income was $29,321 when it actually was $195,689.71. Pinkerton pled guilty to wire and tax fraud on July 23, 2014.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Jackson Resident Agency and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant United States Attorney Victor L. Ivy prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
