Former Director of Fort Gordon Youth Academy Lynda Dukes pled guilty to one count of Racketeering in Richmond County Superior Court on July 8, 2016. Under the First Offender Act, she was sentenced to fifteen years’ probation and a one thousand dollar fine. She was also ordered to pay $69,723.14 in restitution.

Dukes used Fort Gordon Youth Challenge Academy resources to make approximately $70,000 worth of transactions to benefit herself and others. The transactions included airline tickets, gasoline, ATM withdrawals, and checks payable to cash. To perpetrate her scheme, Dukes redirected deposits intended for certain Fort Gordon Youth Challenge Academy accounts into an account over which she had sole control. The activity took place between December 7, 2009, and March 4, 2013.

Assistant Attorney General Blair McGowan prosecuted the case on behalf of the State of Georgia. The case was investigated by Senior Deputy Inspector General Bill Donaldson and Investigator Austin Mayberry with the Office of the State Inspector General.