A former Berea College professor of communications has been sentenced to more than a year in federal prison for wire fraud. On May 20, he resigned his most recent post as dean of the School of Arts and Letters at Middle Georgia State University, the Macon (Ga.) Melody reported.

In a statement of fact prepared by the Western Virginia US District Attorney's office and filed last November, Billy Wooten is accused of stealing at least $145,000 from a university in Virginia. On May 1, he was found guilty of wire fraud in the crime and sentenced to 366 days in prison. Wire fraud includes using the internet or phone to conduct fraudulent transactions across state lines, and is a federal crime.

The specific charges against Wooten are that he repeatedly used his Virginia university-issued credit card for personal use. The federal statement lists multiple personal items Wooten purchased and fraudulently expensed to the university, such as groceries and home improvements, but the bulk of his spree was on sports memorabilia. The statement lists nearly $25,000 worth of sports items purchased from a vendor in Maine.

The statement also claims that when he'd maxed out his university-issued card, Wooten directed two subordinates to continue making sports memorabilia purchases on his behalf using their university-issued cards, and told them to expense the items as goods for local charities.

The name of the university is not specified in the federal case. Wooten's LinkedIn profile lists Averett University in Danville, Va., as his employer between 2018 and 2023. Wooten assumed his role at Middle Georgia State in 2024, according to his profile. Prior to that, his profile lists four years as a marketing specialist under contract with the Virginia Dept. of Health.

The statement says that Wooten repaid the Virginia university the full $145,000 he stole, plus legal fees incurred in the investigation and prosecution of his crimes, according to the statement.

Prosecutors also cite crimes against "Victim 2" an unnamed private institution of higher learning in Kentucky. Sources familiar with the matter have confirmed to The Edge that Victim 2 was Berea College. While employed there, at least as early as 2014, Wooten "abused the position of trust" placed in him by Victim 2, according to federal prosecutors. Wooten was employed by Berea College between 20o2 and 2018.

The federal prosecutors wrote in the statement that Wooten's theft of "at least" $53,000 from Victim 2 was achieved primarily by submitting falsified invoices, and misappropriating funds. Wooten repaid $50,000 of what he'd stolen before parting ways with the College in 2018.