Former Hall County Solicitor General Stephanie Woodard entered a guilty plea on Friday for one count of unprofessional conduct, a misdemeanor.
"Are you guilty of the crime or crimes to which you are pleading guilty?" Douglas County Judge David Emerson asked.
"Yes your honor I have maintained that I made mistakes in office from the beginning," Woodard responded.
The plea agreement had the following conditions:
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Woodard resign effective immediately, which she did on Aug. 9
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Woodard will plea guilty to the single count of unprofessional conduct
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Woodard will waive indictment by a grand jury
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Woodard will waive arraignment
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and Woodard will waive her objection to the statute of limitations
With this agreement, Woodard’s previous 13 charges of false statements and 11 charges of theft by taking have been dropped contingent upon meeting the conditions above.
The negotiated sentence is 12 months probation and restitution. The restitution total Woodard must pay is $2,219.28.
$1,190.48 is to go to the prosecuting attorneys counsel and $1,028.80 will be paid to Hall County.
The maximum sentence for the misdemeanor is 12 months confinement, but the state's recommended 12 months probation will be “suspended upon payment of restitution.”
Emerson sentenced her as a First Offender, leading to the recommended probation.
The official charge against Woodard was O.C.G.A. § 45-11-4(b) (1) and (5).
They read as "a public officer may be charged under this Code section for... malpractice, misfeasance, or malfeasance in office" and "willfully and knowingly demanding more cost than he or she is entitled to by law in the administration and under color of his or her office."
State Attorney General Chris Carr also released a statement on Friday.
“Mrs. Woodard took advantage of our state by violating the same laws that she was elected to uphold," Carr said. “She has now been held accountable for her actions. Our office will always follow the law, the facts and the evidence to ensure justice for all Georgians.”
The case was investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and prosecuted by Senior Assistant Attorney General Laura Pfister, who leads the White Collar and Cyber Crime Unit.
“Are you satisfied with his legal representation?” Pfister asked of Woodard's attorney, Noah Pines.
“Very much so,” Woodard responded.
Emerson affirmed the plea deal and said he would sign the sentence order as soon as someone had it prepared for him.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2024/8/1259856/former-hall-co-solicitor-stephanie-woodard-takes-plea-agreement-24-charges-dropped