Coke secretary gets eight years

A FORMER Coca-Cola secretary convicted of conspiring to steal trade secrets from the world’s largest beverage maker was sentenced yesterday to eight years in federal prison.

Joya Williams, 42, had 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 on February 2 following a jury trial in US District Court in Atlanta, where The Coca-Cola company is based.

“This is the kind of offence that cannot be tolerated in our society,” US District Judge J Owen Forrester said in imposing sentence.

A co-defendant, Ibrahim Dimson, was sentenced to five years in prison.

Forrester’s sentence for Williams was more severe than the 63 to 78-month sentence recommended by federal prosecutors and also what is contained in sentencing guidelines for the judge to consider.

Forrester also largely ignored a tearful apology by Williams, which was the first time she acknowledged what she did.

She added; “I am sorry to Coke and I’m sorry to my boss and to you and to my family as well.”