A Madison County woman has been sentenced for bribery, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
U.S. District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Megan Nicole Tillery, 39, of Meridianville, Alabama, to 28 months in prison. In October 2025, Tillery pleaded guilty to use of interstate commerce facility in aid of racketeering.
According to the plea agreement, Tillery was employed with the Community Action Partnership in the second quarter of 2022 as the Community Intake Specialist. Tillery used her position to solicit bribes from individuals in exchange for applying Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds to their accounts when they did not qualify for funding under the program. Tillery also solicited money from an individual who was qualified for LIHEAP funds. Tillery told the individual that he needed to pay her to reduce the utility bill. The individual was not required to pay a fee to Tillery or Community Action Partnership to receive funds because he qualified for LIHEAP benefits. Between July 2022 and December 2023, Tillery received more than $15,000 in bribes.
LIHEAP provides federally funded assistance in the form of a grant to eligible households to reduce their energy costs. Alabama has designated the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) as the entity responsible for receiving these federal funds and administering the LIHEAP program to the state. In Madison and Limestone Counties, ADECA has partnered with Community Action Partnership for that purpose.
“This defendant was afforded a position of trust, and she used it to enrich herself,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine Crosby. “We will continue to hold people accountable who exploit taxpayer-funded programs intended to benefit struggling Americans for their own personal gain.”
“Abusing one’s position for personal gain, especially during a time of crisis, shows a blatant disregard for the oath that every government official takes,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Birmingham Division. “Federal assistance programs are created to support individuals, families, and businesses that have experienced significant loss. FBI Birmingham along with our partners are dedicated to protecting these programs from fraud to ensure that honest citizens can receive the assistance they need most during difficult times. Anyone who commits fraud against the government will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
The FBI, Tennessee Valley Authority – Office of the Inspector General, and U.S. Department of Health & Human Services – Office of Inspector General investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the case.
