South Georgia lawmaker pleads guilty to unemployment fraud

Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 5:41 PM

Former state Rep. Dexter Sharper, a Valdosta Democrat, pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges in court Wednesday as part of a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into pandemic-related fraud. Prosecutors said Sharper, 54, fraudulently collected nearly $14,000 in unemployment benefits through a program aimed at helping those who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, […]

Former state Rep. Dexter Sharper, a seven-term lawmaker who was first elected in 2012, resigned from his seat in the state House Monday, days before pleading guilty to federal fraud charges. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder

Former state Rep. Dexter Sharper, a Valdosta Democrat, pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges in court Wednesday as part of a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into pandemic-related fraud.

Prosecutors said Sharper, 54, fraudulently collected nearly $14,000 in unemployment benefits through a program aimed at helping those who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, though he was earning income from at least two jobs during that time. His income included at least $325 every week from the Georgia General Assembly as a state representative.

He faced one felony charge of making false statements in connection with the benefits, and could be sentenced to up to five years in prison and fined up to $250,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett Bradford said his office is recommending that Sharper pay roughly $10,100 in restitution.

Sharper, a seven-term lawmaker who was first elected in 2012, resigned from his seat in the state House Monday. In an interview at the federal courthouse, he said that the community had been supportive of him throughout the process.

Northwest Georgia congressional candidates jockey for runoff spot, unexpected departures and more

“I love them, and they love me,” he said.

Two other Democrats, Rep. Karen Bennett of Stone Mountain and Rep. Sharon Henderson of Covington, were both accused of defrauding the same program earlier this year.

Bennett resigned days before authorities charged her in early January and has since pleaded guilty to making false statements to obtain the aid. Bennett’s sentencing is set for next month.

Henderson was suspended from office for the remainder of her term, though she later qualified to run for state Senate this year.

Sharper’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on July 21. A special election to fill his House seat has not yet been set, though five Democrats have qualified to run for the seat later this year.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

More from GA News

Bookman: Has the Kemp model fallen out of fashion in Georgia politics?

Brian Kemp, in his eighth and final year as governor, still enjoys significant popularity. In an Emerson poll conducted last weekend, only 24.5% of Georgians said they disapprove of his job performance, which in this divisive era is remarkable. You might think that kind of long-running success would make Kemp a model to be emulated […]
Georgia legislative primaries see 537 candidates vying for 236 seats

A total 537 people signed up to run in May partisan primaries for the 236 seats in the Georgia House and Senate, where decisions are made on tax rates, health care access, gun laws, data centers, environmental protection and more. Here’s what we can tell you so far about the cohort. A total 537 people […]
Proposal would require citizenship checks for Georgia families to access food aid

State House lawmakers approved new requirements for families applying for food assistance in what was one of the final votes on a key legislative deadline day, with the proposal passing after midnight Saturday. However, advocates have pushed back on the legislation, arguing that the changes would not adequately address errors within the system and urging […]
Harris, Fuller advance to a runoff in race to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress

ROME, Ga. – The race to become northwest Georgia’s next congressman is heading to an April runoff after no candidate exceeded 50% of the vote in a crowded field of competitors in Tuesday’s election. Democrat Shawn Harris was the top vote-getter, walking away with about 37% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the […]
Georgia House passes budget with nearly $61 million for literacy coaches

The Georgia House of Representatives approved a $38.5 billion state budget for next year on Tuesday with significant spending aimed at improving childhood literacy across the state. House Bill 974, which will fund state government beginning on July 1, passed with a 159-4 vote and now moves to the Senate. The House’s proposed budget includes […]