Former Bank Teller Sentenced To Prison For Embezzlement Of Government Funds And Aggravated Identity Theft

Michael J. Moore, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announced the sentencing of Victoria Metz, age 26, formerly a resident of Albany, Georgia, on April 25, 2013, by the Honorable W. Louis Sands, United States District Judge for the Middle District of Georgia, Albany, Georgia.

Ms. Metz was sentenced by Judge Sands to serve 48 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons and 3 years of supervised release after serving her sentence.  She was also ordered to pay restitution to Colony Bank in the amount of $79,361.00.

On January 16, 2013, Ms. Metz was found guilty by a jury of Counts One through Twelve, Sixteen, Eighteen, Nineteen and Twenty.  Counts One through Ten charged Embezzlement of Government Property, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 641.  Counts Eleven through Twenty charged Aggravated Identity Theft, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 1028A.

“When Ms. Metz stole her victims’ identities, she took something from every one of us.  The message should be clear, when you commit identity theft, you are going to jail,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Moore.

Ms. Metz while employed as a teller at Colony Bank, Leesburg, Georgia, knowingly cashed $79,361.00 in stolen Internal Revenue Service refund checks.  Ms. Metz admitted to law enforcement agents that on some occasions she received a cut of the proceeds from the third party that supplied her with the stolen checks.

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, and the Leesburg Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jim Crane.

Inquiries regarding the case should be directed to Sue McKinney, Public Affairs Specialist, United States Attorney’s Office at (478) 621-2601.