The Augusta insurance agent who admitted to stealing more than $1.7 million from his customers and family has appealed the decision by a federal court judge to sentence him to 108 months in prison.
In a letter filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court by his attorney, Pete Theodocion, Walt Williams will appeal the decision by U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall to impose a stricter sentence than the one set by the court’s advisory guidelines. Those guidelines specify a range of 51 to 63 months for Williams’ crime.
During his sentencing, Hall said he intended to give Williams --whose single charge was for mail fraud stemming from a fake investment confirmation package he mailed in 2005 to a victim in Ocala, Fla. -- a strong sentence to make up for the fact that its unlikely Williams will ever be able to repay his victims.
The judge told the court that Williams’ effect on the community would be “. . .wide and deep and will be felt for decades.”
The appeal will go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.
Beginning in May 1992, Williams took money from his longtime friends, customers and fellow churchgoers with promises that he would invest their funds safely and with better returns than a typical savings account.
Often, Williams, a former member of Warren Baptist Church, preyed upon his victim’s religious convictions to convince them to invest.
He received thousands of dollars from 16, mostly elderly, victims and instead used the money to fund gambling trips and other vacations.
Williams was also ordered to pay $500 a month toward restitution and will serve three years of supervised release.
Reach Adam Folk at (706) 823-3339 or adam.folk@augustachronicle.com.