Second Former Executive Director of Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission Sentenced to Six Months in Prison
| U.S. Attorney’s Office December 11, 2012 |
ANCHORAGE—Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Feldis announced that a Barrow woman was sentenced in federal court in Anchorage for two counts of intentional misapplication of funds from an organization receiving federal grant money.
Teresa Judkins, 52, was sentenced yesterday by United States Judge Sharon L. Gleason to six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $100,339 in restitution.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Aunnie Steward, in 2007 and 2008, Judkins was the executive director for the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission (AEWC). While in that position, Judkins misapplied $100,339 in the following ways: 1) receiving payments purporting to be payroll advances that were never repaid; 2) purchasing airline tickets, hotels, and car rentals for herself and family for purposes unrelated to AEWC business; 3) purchasing a snow machine for her personal use with AEWC funds; and 4) issuing and cashing AEWC checks for her personal use.
Judge Gleason noted the defendant’s acceptance of responsibility as one factor among many in determining Judkins’ sentence.
Mr. Feldis commends the IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General for the investigation of this case.