Allendale Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement and Attempted Arson

COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney Bill Nettles stated today that April Adams, age 40, of Allendale, South Carolina, pled guilty today in federal court to embezzlement from the Allendale County Bank and attempted arson of the bank, violations of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 656 and 844(i). Chief United States District Judge Margaret B. Syemour of Columbia accepted the plea and will impose sentence after she has reviewed the presentence report which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. The maximum penalty Adams can receive is a fine of $250,000 on each count, imprisonment of up to 30 years on the embezzlement charge, and imprisonment of five to 20 years on the arson charge.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that between May and June 2011, Adams stole approximately $323,000 from the Allendale County Bank, where she was employed as a teller. When officials at the bank learned that money was missing, Adams tried to burn the bank building.

The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Dean A. Eichelberger of the Columbia office handled the case.