October 3, 2008

AUGUSTA, GA: Edmund A. Booth, Jr., United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, announced that Linda O. Burch, age 44, of Midville, Georgia entered a plea of guilty today in U.S. District Court in Augusta before U.S. District Judge J. Randal Hall to embezzling more than $600,000 over thirteen years from a Waynesboro, Georgia bank in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 656.

Booth stated that during the guilty plea hearing that the evidence showed that Burch exploited the First National Bank of Waynesboro’s processing system over thirteen years so that her personal bank accounts would not be charged for the numerous checks that the she had written.

Booth noted that Burch faces a maximum statutory penalty of thirty years imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine. A sentencing date has not yet been set and Burch remains on bond pending sentencing.

FBI Special Agent Paul Kubala conducted the investigation that led to the charges and guilty plea. The government is being represented by Assistant United States Attorney David M. Stewart.