The suspended mayor of Waynesboro pleaded guilty this week to theft and fraud charges.
Gregory Carswell entered his plea in Bulloch County Superior Court. Conditions of his 10-year probation sentence, imposed under the First Offender Act, require Carswell to repay the money he stole and an additional $1,000 fine.
Carswell has three months from Tuesday, April 12, to pay Check into Cash $5,000, according to court records.
Gov. Brian Kemp suspended Carswell’s term as mayor in May 2021 following the filing of the criminal charges, according to media reports at the time.
According to the indictment, between Sept. 30, 2019, and Jan. 23, 2020, Carswell stole from his employer, the Check into Cash, by creating two fake title pawn accounts.
A 150-180 day sentence in a state detention center was suspended, according to court records.
According to the Waynesboro newspaper, Carswell was elected in November 2021.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.