LAFAYETTE — A former medical clinic employee was sentenced to federal prison for embezzling more than $500,000 from her employer over several years.

Brooke Miller Duck, 31, was sentenced July 31 by United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays to 22 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $539,451.41 in restitution.

Duck previously pled guilty on March 16 to embezzling more than $500,000 from her medical clinic employer. She used the stolen funds for personal expenses and luxury items including expensive vacations, new cars and consumer products.

According to court documents, Duck was employed by two medical clinics with offices in Lafayette and Baton Rouge and had access to the clinics' credit cards and bank accounts.

Between May 2020 and October 2023, Duck used the clinics' credit cards for unauthorized personal purchases, including a $15,000 payment for a time-share vacation property. She then used funds drawn from the clinics' bank accounts to pay the credit card balances tied to those purchases.

In total, Duck caused $539,451.41 in unauthorized credit card transactions for her personal use and financial gain, according to court documents.

"Brooke Duck has now been held fully accountable for years of abusing her position and exploiting her employers' trust," said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. "With this sentence, justice has been delivered not only for the clinics she stole from, but for all honest, hardworking small businesses across Louisiana."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service and the Lafayette Police Department investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danny Siefker with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Denise Duhon.