FORMER PROGRAM MANAGER OF YOUNG FATHERS PROGRAM
CONVICTED OF FELONY THEFT, SENTENCED TO SERVE
6 MONTHS IN JAIL

BALTIMORE, MD (August 21, 2008) -Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced today that Anthony Nevard Williams, pled guilty on August 19, 2008, in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City to charges that he stole a total of $128,925.00 from the Maryland Department of Human Resources. The funds that the Defendant stole were earmarked for the Young Fathers/ Responsible Fathers Program, a program managed by the Defendant. The Honorable Sylvester B. Cox, Jr. sentenced Williams to a 3-year term of incarceration, suspending all but 6 months, to be served in the Baltimore City Detention Center. After jail, Anthony Williams will be placed on supervised probation for 5 years, with the condition that he pay $100,825.00 in restitution.

The State’s investigation revealed that in March 1994, funds received from the Maryland Department of Human Resources were provided to begin the Young Fathers/Responsible Fathers Program, a comprehensive program of economic training and parenting classes intended to encourage and support responsible fatherhood in Baltimore City. Anthony Williams, now 48, was the program manager since its inception. An investigation revealed that between December 19, 2001, and February 25, 2004, Anthony Williams caused at least 150 fraudulent checks to be issued by the State, with the majority of checks made payable to supposed young fathers participating in the program. The checks were never given to the program participants named on the checks, but were fraudulently endorsed and then cashed by Anthony Williams’ sister. None of the actual fathers named on the checks received any money when the checks were cashed and none was determined by the State investigation to be involved in the theft scheme. A few fraudulently issued checks were made payable to a child/ non- program recipient and cashed through the bank account of his mother, Anthony Williams’ former girlfriend.

In addition, the Defendant caused checks (at least 32 of the 150 checks ) to be issued to his sister or to members of her immediate family, supposedly for work and services rendered on behalf of the Young Fathers Program. The State investigation revealed that, in fact, Williams’ sister was not a paid employee at the Young Fathers Program and did not perform any services for the checks received. She has also been charged with felony theft and awaits arraignment on August 26.

The case was investigated and prosecuted by the Criminal Division of the Attorney General’s Office and the Maryland State Police, after referral from the Office of the Inspector General, Department of Human Resources.