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February 11, 2009 4:49 PM

Ex-Coke Secretary Gets 8 Years In Jail

(AP)  A former Coca-Cola secretary convicted of conspiring to steal trade secrets from the world's largest beverage maker was sentenced Wednesday to eight years in federal prison.

Joya Williams, 42, had faced up to 10 years in prison on the single conspiracy charge in a failed scheme to sell the materials to rival Pepsi for at least $1.5 million. She was convicted on Feb. 2 following a jury trial in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, where the Coca-Cola Co. is based.

"This is the kind of offense that cannot be tolerated in our society," U.S. District Judge J. Owen Forrester said in imposing sentence.

A co-defendant, Ibrahim Dimson, was sentenced to five years in prison.

Forrester's sentence for Williams was more severe than the 63- to 78-month sentence recommended by federal prosecutors and federal sentencing guidelines.

He said the seriousness of the crime necessitated a departure from the guidelines, which federal judges are not bound by.

"I can't think of another case in 25 years that there's been so much obstruction of justice," the judge said of Williams' conduct.

Forrester largely ignored a tearful apology by Williams, which was the first time she acknowledged what she did.

"I just wanted to say that I'm not a bad person," Williams told the judge before he imposed sentence. "I'm really not."

She added, "I am sorry to Coke and I'm sorry to my boss and to you and to my family as well."

The government said Williams stole confidential documents and samples of products that hadn't been launched by Coca-Cola and gave them to Dimson and a third defendant, Edmund Duhaney, as part of a conspiracy to sell the items to Pepsi. Duhaney, like Dimson, pleaded guilty to conspiracy. Duhaney will be sentenced later.

The conspiracy was foiled after Pepsi warned Coca-Cola that it had received a letter in May 2006 offering Coca-Cola trade secrets to the "highest bidder." The FBI launched an undercover investigation and identified the letter writer as Dimson.

Williams was fired as a secretary to Coca-Cola's global brand director at the company's headquarters after the allegations came to light.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Add a Comment See all 24 Comments
by acctriangle May 24, 2007 1:16 PM EDT
Galaxiana,

What society are you referring to?

To the topic at hand: I bet she never thought it would go this far. Hmmm, bad calculation that was not even worth it.

Character is always important. If you try to get over by cheating and stealing, you will eventually get caught.
Reply to this comment
by galaxiana May 24, 2007 12:03 PM EDT
Quote from convicted woman:

"I just wanted to say that I'm not a bad person," Williams told the judge before he imposed sentence. "I'm really not."

-----------
Nah, you're not a bad person. You're just an untrustworthy, lying, scheming scumbag, but in your society, that's not bad at all; it's the norm.
Reply to this comment
by dontbasucka May 23, 2007 9:51 PM EDT
Bush jokes eh? If you think Bush is bad, at least he never had 51 associates, friends and connections wind up dead...

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=973885
Reply to this comment
by caitlinndad May 23, 2007 9:36 PM EDT
8 yrs for coca cola,I thought they meant cocain!
Reply to this comment
by aaabee-2009 May 23, 2007 9:14 PM EDT
It is about wallets.

I replaced a guy in Oregon who got drunk with his buddy, picked up a shotgun, and blew the guys chest out. 5 years and out on the street.

Taking a human life = 5 years.
Spilling Coke secrets = 8 years.

Reply to this comment
by randalds May 23, 2007 8:54 PM EDT
"Ex-Coke Secretary Gets 8 Years In Jail"

Whew! For a brief joyous second there I thought it was someone who used to work for Bush!! Oh well, better luck next time.
Reply to this comment
by peaceforusa May 23, 2007 7:34 PM EDT
She got what she deserves, no matter who's secrets she was stealing. Break the law...go to jail..unless of course you are the Bush administration or Illegal aliens...
Reply to this comment
by rhs648 May 23, 2007 7:14 PM EDT
d33pthroat1- Perhaps the defendant is another dumb thief. Perhaps, Coke's marketing strategies would have proved more valuable.
Reply to this comment
by d33pthroat1 May 23, 2007 6:59 PM EDT
Here is the Coca-Cola formula for free:

1 oz caffeine citrate
3 oz citric acid
1 fl oz extract vanilla
1 qt lime juice
2= oz flavoring (see below)
30 lb (14 kg) sugar
4 fl oz fluid extract of coca (decocainized flavor essence of the coca leaf)
2= gal water
Caramel sufficient

Flavoring:
80 Oil orange
40 Oil cinnamon
120 Oil lemon
20 Oil coriander
40 Oil nutmeg
40 Oil neroli
1 qt alcohol

Directions:
Mix sugar into 1 quart boiling water. Add caffeine, citric acid and lime juice. Cool mixture and add vanilla, caramel and flavoring. Let stand for 24 hours. Bottle under pressure to dissolve 3.7 volumes of CO2 gas in the product.
Reply to this comment
by itwasntme000 May 23, 2007 6:51 PM EDT
This sentence of eight years is ridiculous when you consider that child molesters and DUI offenders serve far less time, if they serve any. Our justice system is so out of whack.
Posted by global_chick at 02:58 PM : May 23, 2007

Yea it makes no sence whatsoever. One of my friends who was in the military got into a fight on base and ended up getting sent to military prison because he broke the kids nose. Neway tho he got about 1 month less time then the person who was trying to hire a hitman to kill his wife.(the guy was caught by undercover cops). then the person who got caught with marijuana on them. (not selling it but just caught with it on them) got around 3-6 months longer then my friend and the other dude!!!!!!! this is military prison sentences to people. dosent that jsut make you all warm and cozy.
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