Yolanda Ward, a 40-year-old woman from Vicksburg, Mississippi, who was employed at the Vicksburg National Military Park, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to embezzling park admission fees, according to federal prosecutors. Ward, who worked as a supervisor at the military park from 2017 to 2019, confessed to taking cash deposits from a safe and using the money for her personal use. U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee from the Southern District of Mississippi stated in a news release that Ward admitted to using the stolen funds for gambling at a local casino and to cover her bills. Additionally, she provided money to family members for gambling purposes as well.
As a consequence of her actions, Ward could potentially face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The sentencing for this case is scheduled for November 4th.