WILMINGTON, N.C. — A Wayne County woman has pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing more than $100,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Shermeca McCrary, 46, admitted to theft of government property for her role in a multi-year fraud scheme involving SNAP benefits administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and managed in North Carolina by the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Social Services. McCrary faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine when she is sentenced later this year. She will also be ordered to forfeit $102,000.

Federal prosecutors say McCrary abused her position as a North Carolina Department of Social Services caseworker to unlawfully access SNAP accounts belonging to eligible recipients. Court documents show that between January 2021 and January 2024, she diverted approximately $102,000 in government funds for her personal use.