<p>A former Berry College administrator was sentenced Friday to four years and eight months in federal prison on charges that he stole more than $2.5 million from the school through timber sales.</p><p>Robert Lee Parker, 54, must also pay more than $3 million in restitution to the Rome-based college.</p><p>Parker allowed North Georgia Forest Products, a now-defunct timber company, to harvest timber on Berry's property at a discounted rate from 1995 to 2001 and pocketed the profits, prosecutors said.</p><p>When the college became suspicious, Parker tried to cover up the scheme by having timber companies write backdated checks to the college and paying the companies out of his own pocket.</p><p>He resigned as director of the college's land resources in 2001 when Berry discovered the fraud.</p><p>As part of the plea agreement, Parker forfeited the right to the interest on his $400,000 home. He also must serve three years of supervised release after his prison sentence ends.</p><p>"It is always painful to find out that an important institution has been defrauded by an official it trusted," said U.S. Attorney David E. Nahmias. "Today's sentence reflects the seriousness of Mr. Parker's crimes and brings a measure of justice to Berry College."</p>
