Attorney General Chris Carr today announced the guilty plea of Hall County Solicitor General Stephanie Woodard for unlawfully acquiring funds from Hall County and the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia (PAC) to cover personal and unrelated expenses. This includes a number of travel expenditures for which Woodard was not entitled, and the misuse of Local Victim Assistance Programs (LVAP) funds.
“Mrs. Woodard took advantage of our state by violating the same laws that she was elected to uphold,” Carr said. “She has now been held accountable for her actions. Our office will always follow the law, the facts and the evidence to ensure justice for all Georgians.”
This case was investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). It was prosecuted by Senior Assistant Attorney General Laura D. Pfister, who leads the Attorney General’s White Collar and Cyber Crime Unit.
“Hall County citizens entrusted Solicitor General Stephanie Woodard to serve the community with honesty and integrity. However, Woodard betrayed that trust for her personal gain,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI is committed to thoroughly investigating cases like this and ensuring accountability.”
Guilty Plea
On Aug. 30, 2024, Stephanie Woodard pleaded guilty to the following charge:
- Unprofessional Conduct – O.C.G.A. § 45-11-4(b) (1) and (5)
Woodard was sentenced under the First Offender Act to 12 months of probation and ordered to pay $1,190.48 in restitution to PAC and $1,028.80 to Hall County. As part of her plea, she was also required to resign as Hall County Solicitor General, effective Aug. 9, 2024.
Prosecutors with the White Collar and Cyber Crime Unit, among others within Carr’s Prosecution Division, have previously secured convictions against former Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Mark Preston Jones, former Paulding County District Attorney Donald Richard “Dick” Donovan, and former Pickens County Chief Magistrate Court Judge William “Allen” Wigington.
