JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – A Vicksburg woman pled guilty to stealing park admission fees while she was employed as a Supervisory Fee Management Specialist at the Vicksburg National Military Park (VNMP).

According to court documents, Yolanda Ward, 40, confessed to removing cash deposits from a safe and keeping the money for personal use while she was employed as a supervisor at the military park from 2017 to 2019.

Ward stated that she used the stolen funds to pay her bills and gamble at the local casino. Prosecutors said she also provided the park’s stolen funds to her family members to gamble at the casino.

Ward pled guilty on Tuesday, August 6 to theft of government funds. She is scheduled to be sentenced on November 4, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Department of Interior Office of Inspector General is investigating the case.