New Orleans Man Sentenced to 16 Months for Theft of Federal Program Funds

NEW ORLEANS—Robert McFarland, age 69, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to 16 months’ imprisonment in connection with his conviction for theft of over $350,000 in federal program funds, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Letten. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Fallon ordered McFarland to be placed on two years of supervised release following release from imprisonment during which time the defendant will be under federal supervision and risks an additional term of imprisonment should he violate any terms of his supervised release.

According to court documents, McFarland was the executive director of New Orleans Educational Talent Search Program Inc. (NOETS), a non-profit corporation in New Orleans, Louisiana, which received over $1.3 million in federal grant funds from the United States Department of Education through its Talent Search Program from 2001 through 2004. From 2001 through 2004, while working as the executive director of NOETS, McFarland embezzled $356,675.51 in federal program funds by writing hundreds of checks on NOETS bank accounts to himself or to cash by obtaining numerous cash advances on NOETS credit card accounts, by charging meals and other items at various restaurants, and by making cash withdrawals from NOETS accounts at ATMs.

In addition to his term of imprisonment, Judge Fallon ordered McFarland to pay $356,675.51 in restitution to the United States Department of Education.

This case was investigated by the United States Department of Education-Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carol L. Michel and Mimi Nguyen.