Ex-Coke Secretary Gets 8 Years In Jail

Was Convicted In Scheme To Sell Trade Secrets To Pepsi

(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.

[itwasntme000]

that sucks that pepsi turned her in!!!
I for one desipse coke and all of their products.
pepsi pwns coke and mountain dew pwns mellow yellow or vault. So i see the argument. Pepsi already makes better tasting things, they don't need any help. They just need better advertising and sales pitches to resturaunts and fast food places.

[rushman71]

Serves her right. Now she can "Have a coke, and a....Smile!" LOL

[mitch0927]

Pepsi makes me want to puke. But everyone of course is entitled to their tastes, that's what helps the economy I guess.

[texas_woman]

Real bright rushman71. Just because your hate Coke doesn't mean someone should get away with breaking the law.

[last121868]

Texas woman - don't blame rushman71 for that moronic comment.
itwasntme000-Opinions are like ***, everbody has one!
*****COKE IS IT*****

[russ1985]

Pepsi doesn't want to be seen as being underhanded and by turning them in, they come out of this smelling like a rose.

[moonfire1-2009]

8 Years for Soda Pop Trade secrets? Wow, I am glad this evil menace to society is going away. I mean this isn't something small like spying on Americans, spying on the government, terrorism, drug trafficking etc..... This is really serious and criminal behavior that has to do with our nations beverages.

Anyone think that maybe this is a bit extreme with the punishment? She did wrong, punish her, but 8 years?
I can't stop laughing at this, "Soda-Pop Trade Secrets." Besides for carbonated water and artificial flavoring, what exactly do they put in those cans that is so secret?

Glad I drink generic soda.

[global_chick]

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.

[rushman71]

Texas_Woman: Not putting on an argument here, but I hate Pepsi, used to drink Coke all the time. Now I drink Diet Dr. Pepper. The comment that I made earlier was to the fact that after she tried to steal information from Coke, she got the ticket to jail. The term that I stated 'Now she can "Have a coke, and a....Smile!"', she will be experiencing (drinking) that in jail. How ironic, huh.

[rhondam5]

Seems a bit extreme, 8 yrs for attempting to steal trade secrets....she would have to serve less time if she ran someone over with her car! No wonder this country's judicial system is so screwed up....the country thinks it's worse to steal from a corporation than to kill another human.

[rushlimpdrug]

Ok this makes me sick.
- someone pass me a Tab.

[unityne]

Pepsi didn't turn them in because they were nice guys. The issue with them is that if they accepted that info, they would too would be breaking the law. How did they know that those people contacting them wasn't a sting operation. The only safe option they had was to turn 'em in.

This sentence is hypocrisy. Real criminals get away with major crimes against society and they don%u2019t get eight years. For the judge to pontificate from the bench that this is a crime that society can%u2019t tolerate %u2013 is just pure ***.

Keith Gardner
Justice of the Peace, Retired

[rhs648]

Seems a bit extreme, 8 yrs for attempting to steal trade secrets....she would have to serve less time if she ran someone over with her car! No wonder this country's judicial system is so screwed up....the country thinks it's worse to steal from a corporation than to kill another human.

Posted by RhondaM5

Not severe when one considers that the welfare of many thousands of employees, the company, investors, and anyone who is involved with the selling and distribution of coke products is affected. This is like an Enron in reverse. Instead of corporate executives costing billions of dollars to the public, employees, and investors, an employee of coke was willing to destroy the company and everyone dependant upon it.

[itwasntme000]

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.

[d33pthroat1]

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.

[rhs648]

d33pthroat1- Perhaps the defendant is another dumb thief. Perhaps, Coke's marketing strategies would have proved more valuable.

[peaceforusa]

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...

[randalds]

"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.

[aaabee-2009]

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.

[caitlinndad]

8 yrs for coca cola,I thought they meant cocain!

[dontbasucka]

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

[rafterman1]

===Bush jokes eh? If you think Bush is bad, at least he never had 51 associates, friends and connections wind up dead...===

Hilarious. The attempts of the right to "get Clinton" are never not entertaining. My favorite was the end of that web page where it stated this pathetic conspiracy that only a complete idiot would fall for:

"Also, there were 17 high ranking Generals and Admirals who while on their way to Washington to Arrest Clinton on Treason, as per the Constitution, their small military plane was shot down by a ground to air stinger missle. that happened the same time the Federal Building was blown up in Oklahoma. - Yet if had received very brief, local newspaper coverage."

Keep coming up with them righties. Everytime you open your mouths, you just sound more foolish.

[galaxiana]

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.

[acctriangle]

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.