ANNAPOLIS, MD—A former legislative aide in the Maryland State Senate has been sentenced to four consecutive weekends in jail and two years of supervised probation for stealing funds allocated for legislative scholarships.
Maryland State Prosecutor Charlton T. Howard III announced Wednesday that Esther Dikongue received the sentence from Circuit Court Judge Stacy W. McCormack in Anne Arundel County. Upon completion of the weekend incarceration, Dikongue will receive probation before judgment.
During the sentencing hearing, Dikongue also presented a check for $20,000 in restitution to the State of Maryland.
According to a statement of facts read into the record at her plea, Dikongue worked for a Maryland State Senator when she allocated scholarship funds to herself without the senator’s authorization. Members of the Maryland Legislature are provided funds to award scholarships to students attending Maryland colleges or Maryland students pursuing programs outside the state that are unavailable at Maryland institutions.
The statement also indicated that Dikongue continued to access the senator’s email address “secretly and without permission” after she no longer worked in the senator’s office to ensure she continued to receive the scholarship funds.
In a sentencing memo, the State argued that Dikongue should receive a criminal conviction, asserting that her actions undermined the trust essential between legislators and their aides for efficient and integral government.
“Our Office worked hard in this case to raise awareness that abusing the trust the people of Maryland place in our legislative offices will result in criminal consequences,” Howard said. “We will continue our efforts to ensure Maryland government employees are held to the highest standard while serving the public interest.”
Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels
