Former Medical College of Georgia Employee Pleads Guilty On Racketeering Charges

TATTNALL COUNTY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Former Medical College of Georgia employee, Sylvester Thornhill, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Tattnall County Superior Court to one count of Racketeering.

Thornhill was working as a licensed practical nurse at the Georgia State Prison in Reidsville, Georgia when he and co-worker, Debbie Lynn Wright, were accused of falsifying time records to steal money from the state.

Wright would enter fraudulent data into the software that keeps track of employee work hours. This resulted in Thornhill getting paid for overtime hours that he did not work and receiving double or triple payment for working the same hours.

Thornhill, along with two other employees, were let go from the Georgia State Prison two weeks after allegations were made.

Under the first offenders act, Thornhill faces up to six months in prison followed by nine and a half months probation and has to pay $80,000 in restitution.