Summary

On April 13, former FHWA employee Jacqueline J. Hill-Brown was convicted of the theft of $10,681 in Federal funds following a jury trial in state court in Atlanta, Georgia. Hill-Brown, who was employed as an information analyst in FWHA's Atlanta Resource Center, was indicted in January 2007 as the result of asking a coworker to approve $10,681 in graduate-level courses in health and bio-statistics at Emory University that were not related to her job. The coworker, Vanessa B. Smith, approved the training for Hill-Brown in her capacity as an FWHA contracting officer. The OIG-FHWA investigation found that the request and approval of training was done without the knowledge, consent, or authorization of FHWA management. Smith was acquitted at trial. Hill-Brown's sentencing date is scheduled for April 30. Both women have been fired from FHWA.

Note: Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the government, all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.