Sumrall’s Juanyana Holloway pleads guilty to embezzlement

LAMAR COUNTY, Miss. (WDAM) - Juanyana Holloway pled guilty to embezzling over $13,000 from the Town of Sumrall.

According to Mississippi State Auditor Shad White, Holloway embezzled the money from 2018 to 2020 while serving as Sumrall’s deputy municipal clerk. She reportedly took the money from residents’ cash payments for their water bills. White said Holloway concealed the criminal activity by excluding cash collections on the daily bank deposit slips.

“This is another instance of a person working in a small utilities office who was stealing from the people she was supposed to be serving,” said Auditor White. “I am thankful to the investigators and prosecutors for their hard work.”

Agents from the auditor’s office arrested Holloway in November 2021, and District Attorney Hal Kittrell’s office prosecuted the case before Judge Prentiss Harrell.

On Wednesday, Aug. 10, the auditor’s office announced that Holloway pled guilty to the embezzlement charges.

Harrell ordered Holloway to pay $25,000 to her surety bond company, a $1,000 fine and all court costs. In addition, she is now a convicted felon and can never handle taxpayer money again.

White said his office has already recovered the entire amount of Holloway’s demand letter and returned it to the appropriate entities.

Anyone can report suspected fraud to the auditor’s office at any time by clicking the red button at www.osa.ms.gov or via telephone during regular business hours at 1-(800)-321-1275.

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