A Chattanooga-area woman, Dana Adkins, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for defrauding COVID-19 unemployment programs in four states - namely Tennessee, Alabama, California, and Pennsylvania. According to the U.S. attorney’s office, Adkins, who lived in Stevenson, Alabama, pleaded guilty to mail fraud in Chattanooga’s federal court last June. After serving her term, she will be put under supervised release for three years as per her sentencing agreement. The 45-year-old was also ordered to pay a restitution of $150,804 and forfeit any assets accrued from the fraud. Court records reveal that Adkins, working in concert with others, submitted fraudulent claims to unemployment programs in these states. The fraud, which involved at least three other individuals, reportedly led to more than half a million dollars of unemployment money being unlawfully disbursed. As part of her plea agreement, Adkins has agreed to assist the federal government in locating and retuning money and other assets obtained from this scheme. She is required to turn herself in on March 1 to start her prison term.