BIRMINGHAM, AL - Freida Spearman Holmes has been indicted by a federal grand jury for theft of government funds and computer fraud.  Holmes is a former Anniston Army Depot employee. United States Attorney Alice H. Martin of the Northern District of Alabama and Carmen S. Adams, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation announce the indictment filed in U.S. District Court today.

            Holmes, 61, of Oxford, Alabama, was charged in a two-count indictment. Count one of the indictment charges Holmes with stealing $33,026.90 in government funds in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641.  Count two of the indictment charges Holmes, while employed by the Anniston Army Depot as a Customer Service Representative for Payroll with exceeding her authorized computer access to the Defense Civilian Pay System to alter the pay files of her son, which caused him to be paid for time which he did not actually work and for her daughter, to credit her with 200 hours of sick leave to which she was not entitled, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1030(a)(4).

            The maximum sentence for theft of government property as charged in Count 1 is ten (10)  years in prison and a fine of $250,000.  The maximum sentence for unauthorized computer access with intent to defraud as charged in Count 2 is 5 (5) years in prison and a fine of $ 250,000.

            “Cyber crime can occur from internal as well as external sources.  When cyber crime involves an internal source there is usually a related abuse of trust by the employee involved,” stated U.S. Attorney Alice H. Martin. 

            Special Agents of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division and the F.B.I. worked together on the investigation of this case.  Assistant United States Attorney Michael W. Whisonant is prosecuting this case.

            Members of the public are reminded that the indictment contains only charges.  A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.