Former federal employee accused of putting Confederate battle flag on colleague’s desk

A former employee of the Army Corps of Engineers is accused of putting the Confederate battle flag on a colleague’s desk, then lying about it.

The Department of Justice said Susan R. Thompson, 58, placed the flag on her colleague’s desk.  The colleague is African-American.

Thompson allegedly lied about putting the flag on the desk on two different occasions. She’s now facing two counts of making false statements to a federal officer.  She faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison on each count.