William Byrd McHenry Jr. Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Perjury
A Canton man was sentenced in federal court for lying under oath about assets linked to the Madison Timber Ponzi scheme.
2 reports on this incident · first at Aug 18, 2026, 1:36 p.m. ET
This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.
We last searched for new coverage of this at Aug 18, 2026, 10:40 a.m. ET — checked 4h ago.
Earlier reports
Aug 18, 2026, 1:36 p.m. ETFirst report
Canton Man Sentenced to 20 Months for Perjury in Madison Timber Case
On August 17, 2026, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Mississippi announced that William Byrd McHenry, Jr., 79, of Canton, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for perjury. A federal jury found McHenry guilty on February 25, 2026, of making false statements under oath. The matter remains open as a developing legal proceeding. According to official court documents, a civil suit was filed on October 1, 2018, against McHenry and others to recover money for victims of the Lamar Adams - Madison Timber Properties multi-state Ponzi scheme, which involved more than one hundred million dollars and hundreds of victims. McHenry recruited others to invest in the scheme, resulting in an August 16, 2019 civil judgment against him for $3,473,230. Court records state that a court-appointed receiver examined McHenry under oath in a judgment-debtor examination after she could not recover monies toward the judgment. McHenry falsely denied selling certain assets during his personal bankruptcy, which he had filed after the judgment was entered against him. U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger said McHenry believed he could evade justice by committing perjury, adding that making false statements under oath and attempting to obstruct justice will not be tolerated. The case was investigated by the FBI under Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen.
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Revision history
- Version 118 Aug 2026, 17:51current
First published.
- Version 118 Aug 2026, 17:36current
First published.
- Version 118 Aug 2026, 17:52
First published.
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