ATLANTA - A former Coca-Cola secretary convicted of conspiring to steal trade secrets from the world's largest beverage maker was sentenced Wednesday to 8 years in federal prison.
Joya Williams, 42, 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 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 5 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 ignored a tearful apology by Williams, which was the first time she acknowledged what she did.
"Your honor, I have expanded my consciousness through this devastating experience," Williams said before she was sentenced. "This has been a very defining moment in my life I have become infamous when I never wanted to become famous."
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.
Williams' apology Wednesday lasted for several minutes and she asked the judge to show mercy, though Forrester had told her previously that he planned to depart from sentencing guidelines
"Punishment is the memories and the moments that I'm going to miss," she said. "Punishment is never having a family of my own."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Byung J. Pak told the judge that Williams didn't deserve leniency.
"Choices have consequences and she made those choices," Pak said. "She chose to go to trial and she lied on the stand."
At the hearing, prosecutors disclosed that Williams has two prior convictions, one involving making false statements related to unemployment insurance.
Williams' lawyers had repeatedly asserted in court and out of court that Williams had no criminal past, and the government until Wednesday did not challenge that assertion.
Joya Williams, 42, 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 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 5 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 ignored a tearful apology by Williams, which was the first time she acknowledged what she did.
"Your honor, I have expanded my consciousness through this devastating experience," Williams said before she was sentenced. "This has been a very defining moment in my life I have become infamous when I never wanted to become famous."
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.
Williams' apology Wednesday lasted for several minutes and she asked the judge to show mercy, though Forrester had told her previously that he planned to depart from sentencing guidelines
"Punishment is the memories and the moments that I'm going to miss," she said. "Punishment is never having a family of my own."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Byung J. Pak told the judge that Williams didn't deserve leniency.
"Choices have consequences and she made those choices," Pak said. "She chose to go to trial and she lied on the stand."
At the hearing, prosecutors disclosed that Williams has two prior convictions, one involving making false statements related to unemployment insurance.
Williams' lawyers had repeatedly asserted in court and out of court that Williams had no criminal past, and the government until Wednesday did not challenge that assertion.
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