MACON, Ga. — Three Moultrie women and a woman from Fort Valley were sentenced this week in federal court. They were convicted in a conspiracy to cash fraudulently obtained tax refund checks at a Moultrie retailer five years ago.

Senior U.S. District Court Judge Hugh Lawson sentenced Caseita Jenkins, 39, of Fort Valley, to 37 months in federal prison; Jennifer Wilson, 38, of Moultrie, to 30 months in federal prison; and Tonyal Loud, 38, of Moultrie, to 30 months in federal prison. Oceana Pace, 26, of Moultrie, was sentenced to 36 months of probation.

Each defendant was ordered to repay the loss from their conspiracy, a total of $206,108.86.

Defendants engaged in a conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Government that stretched from December 2011 through April 2012, said G.F. “Pete” Peterman III, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. During that time, Pace was a cashier and Loud was a customer service manager at the Wal-Mart located in Moultrie. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Jenkins and Wilson would procure fraudulently obtained U.S. Treasury checks containing tax refunds and bring these checks to be cashed by Pace and Loud at Wal-Mart.

“These defendants stole from the Treasury of the United States, from the citizens whose payments were diverted, and from the defendants’ own employers,” Peterman said. “I commend the deputies of the Lowndes and Colquitt County sheriff’s offices and the special agents of the Secret Service for their teamwork in bringing these thieves to justice.”

“The Secret Service remains committed to aggressively investigate those responsible for committing fraud for the purpose of defrauding the nation’s financial system. Along with our law enforcement partners we will continue to pursue those committing these crimes,” said Clint A. Bush, resident agent in charge, Albany, Georgia Resident Office, United States Secret Service.

The case was investigated by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Julia C. Bowen prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.