Ray Woods pleads guilty
By JACQUIE BRASHER

WOODS

Ray Woods pled guilty to 123 felony counts of theft by deception and one misdemeanor count of theft by deception at a calendar call at Emanuel County Courthouse Tuesday, Oct. 16. Woods was sentenced to 20 years, five to be served in the state penal system and the remaining 15 to be served on probation. The maximum number of years that Woods could have received was 1,231. Presiding was Senior Judge T. Penn McWhorter of Ware County.

District Attorney Steve Askew told the judge that as assistant superintendent at Emanuel County Board of Education, Woods "authorized payment of vouchers to The Therapy Group" created by Woods, "from July 1999 to February 2007." Askew added that Woods had also solicited $1,000 from Swainsboro-Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce, which led to an inquiry. After an investigation, Askew said Woods "readily admitted to authorities that he had in fact stolen this money." Askew informed the Judge that there was also a $5,000 discrepancy in the actual amount stolen and that the figure could be higher.

Judge McWhorter initially recommended another 20 years probation, but Woods' attorney, Lovett Bennett, cited Woods' first offender status and especially his age, 50, as prohibitive factors in serving that many years on probation. Woods will also have to pay a restitution of between $232,000 and $237,000 after he serves his time in prison.

Woods must report to local authorities on Monday, Oct. 22 at 8 a.m.

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