Rachel Duncan Sentenced to 2 1/2 Years

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — Tuesday Rachel Duncan, the former Accounting Director for the South Carolina Hospitality Association, was sentenced in federal court to 30 months in prison. During the sentencing hearing, Duncan stood before Judge Joe Anderson to apologize for what she calls a “gambling addiction” that led to the embezzlement. She also apologized to the employees and members of the South Carolina Hospitaltiy Association and to her family, which includes three children and a husband. Duncan said she never expected the gambling to get so out of hand and in the back of her mind she always thought she would hit the big one and be able to put the money back. She pleaded guilty to stealing more than $400,000 dollars from the organization back in April. However, in court Tuesday the prosecution stated the embezzlement was $367,000 after they say the rest of the money could not be proved to have been stolen by Duncan. Tuesday, Duncan’s sister also spoke on her behalf saying the embezzlement was out of character for Duncan. Also coming to light, family secrets of alleged sexual abuse by Duncan’s father, this was included in a sentence reduction request by the defense. The document, obtained by ABC Columbia News includes a detailed background of how the gambling started, legally with poker machines in the late nineties. The document says she eventually started gambling at home after putting her children to bed and while her husband was working the night shift. Eventually, the documents details how Duncan stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer. An aciton that has now limited her days as a free woman, as the apologies were not enough and she was sent to prison for 30 months. The embezzlement came to light after the Hospitiality Association’s then president, Tom Sponseller, went missing in February of 2012. His body was found 10 days later in a downtown Columbia parking garage. According to the coroner, Sponseller committed suicide. Also on Tuesday a letter written by Meg Sponseller, Tom’s wife, to Judge Anderson came to light. In the letter, Meg Sponseller writes, “in my mind and in the mind of many others, her [Duncan] actions sent my husband, Tom Sponseller, to his grave.” Judge Anderson said in court that the letter would not be taken into account when sentencing Rachel Duncan. “You know, it’s a $400,000 embezzlement case and that’s where it ended up, so I thought it was a good sentence, the government is happy,” says William Holliday, Prosecutor. Duncan’s attorney, Greg Harris, did not comment on the sentence Tuesday. According to Holliday, Duncan will likely report to a women’s prison in Alderson, West Virginia, she has 1-2 months to report. After Duncan is finished serving her 30 month sentence, Judge Anderson ordered her to pay back $367,000 to the South Carolina Hospitality Association in payments of no less than $100 each month, to begin 60 days after her release.