FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
October 28, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE EMPLOYEE PLEADS GUILTY
TO EMBEZZLING GOVERNMENT PROPERTY
Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) employee Sheldon S. Mixon, age 42, of Elkridge, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to embezzling over $26,000 in government property.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Mary L. Kendall, Acting Inspector General, Department of Interior, Office of Inspector General.
According to his plea agreement, from about 2008 to 2011, Mixon embezzled between $26,000 and $70,000 from the FWS by using his government-issued credit card to purchase items from Office Depot, Best Buy and other retailers for his personal use. On October 14, 2011, Mixon admitted to law enforcement agents that he had made multiple unauthorized charges on his government charge card.
Mixon faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or up to twice the gain or loss, whichever is greater. As part of his plea agreement, Mixon has agreed to forfeit the amount of money, which the court will determine at sentencing, that he embezzled. U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz has scheduled sentencing for January 11, 2012 at 9:30 a.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the U.S. Department of Interior, Office of Inspector General for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan C. Su, who is prosecuting the case.