All six of the defendants are charged with conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud. Fortunately, the U.S. Attorney, FBI, and OIG have committed investigators who, like us, are determined to make sure every taxpayer dollar is accounted for and every dollar intended for the classroom is spent on the classroom, he said. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. District, teachers, at odds. Carter will be sentenced in August. Advertisement. Scholastic Inc. Any defendant convicted of wire or mail fraud faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, as well as substantial monetary penalties and restitution. If youre thinking of altering your workout routine, youre probably looking for new exercises and equipment to help you reach your fitness goals. The school system will continue to work with federal officials and the Alabama State Department of Education as the matter proceeds in court. W.L. The indictment further alleges that the defendants went to various lengths to conceal the fraud from the state. The settlement also provides financial savings and more certainty for financial obligations under Holladays employment contract. Hubbard, originally sentenced to four years for violating ethics laws, has been in the custody of the ADOC since September 2020. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Limestone Co Indictment by WAFF 48 on Scribd. Scroll to continue reading. Former Limestone County Schools superintendent Tom Sisk was indicted on one charge of Conspiracy. Peeples most recently served as an inspector in the Inspection Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington. The jury found Lorenzo Mills guilty of assaulting three incarcerated people with a riot baton and falsifying a report. While the school system was mentioned in the indictment brought in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, the indictment does not name the Limestone County Board of Education or anyone currently involved with Limestone County Schools as defendants. Trey Holladay. The federal indictment claims that Holladay and his wife were the masterminds behind this plan. Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America. Help us combat the proliferation of sexual exploitation crimes against children. Subscribe to EDU for a bi-weekly digest of articles.Privacy Policy, Scholastics blog abouteducation and learning. Josh Moon is an investigative reporter and featured columnist at the Alabama Political Reporter with years of political reporting experience in Alabama. According to a release from the U.S. Attorneys Office on December 16, Holladay admitted that he and co-defendant Thomas Michael Sisk conspired to inflate the number of students enrolled at Athens City Schools and Limestone County Schools. He is also listed as a friend of Trey Holladay in the indictment. 'Trey' Holladay, Ed.D. Holladay is accused of purposely scheming private school students and their parents out of millions of dollars for his personal gain. Co-defendants Gregory Earl Corkren, David Webb Tutt, and Thomas Michael Sisk, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the government. Published on July 22, 2022 at 8:08 am CDT. Deborah Holladay is the wife of Trey Holladay and was a teacher employed by the Athens City School District at the times investigated. The private schools used in the scheme are almost entirely white. According to a plea agreement finalized Thursday, Trey Holladay admitted that he, along with Thomas Michael Sisk, former superintendent of the Limestone County Schools system, conspired to. William Lee Trey Holladay, III formally separated from Athens City Schools in October 2020. Officials say this settlement payment resolves and eliminates any further compensation as well as other expenses which may have otherwise been obliged to pay related to the matter. The six-day protest was their first in decades and led to a 6% raise for teachers, added nurses and school . Court records show on Tuesday Holladay changed his plea of not guilty to guilty for one count of conspiracy. RELATED: Limestone County Schools Superintendent Tom Sisk heading to Bristol, TN Board of Education. Tutt will pay $259,000. All three must report to the Bureau of Prisons by 2 p.m. on Sept. 1. Athens school administrator William Richard Rick Carter Jr. was found guilty of conspiracy, four counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft in March. A federal grand jury indicted William Lee "Trey" Holladay III, 56, of Athens, the former Athens City superintendent, and former Limestone County Schools superintendent Thomas Michael Sisk, 55, of . Corkren and Tutt each faced a sentence of up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. Pomona Unified School District or PUSD serves approximately 30,000 Pre-K-12 students and 17,000 adult learners at 44 schools in Pomona and Diamond Bar, California.It is located 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, and is the third-largest school district in Los Angeles County.. The various defendants then received, for theirown personal use, portions of the state money. Superintendent pleads guilty in fraud case. (STOCK) The trial date in a multi-million dollar fraud case against former Athens Schools Superintendent Trey Holladay and two others has been delayed until early 2022. ATHENS, Ala. (WAFF) - Former Athens superintendent, William Lee "Trey" Holladay has entered a guilty plea for a conspiracy charge. The two superintendents then received state money for the inflated enrollment numbers, which they then kept for personal use, through a complicated system of false report cards, false addresses and false completion reports, prosecutors said. Co-defendants Corkren, Tutt, and Sisk previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the government. The elections are held on a first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years effective with the 2018 election. Former Athens City Schools superintendent Trey Holladay was sentenced Thursday afternoon to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to participating in a multiyear scheme to. In connection with the agreements to acquire student information from the private schools, the co-conspirators paid over $600,000 of the money the Athens district received to the participating private schools and their employees and administrators. The private school parents continued to pay tuition to the private schools. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Montgomery has named two former school superintendents in an indictment. Athens City School Superintendent Trey Holladay was placed on administrative leave after federal agents raided his home in June, 2020. It is located 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, and is the third-largest school district in Los Angeles County. Carters motion for a new trial was rejected by Judge Thompson. The mastermind of Alabamas virtual school enrollment scam was sentenced Thursday to a half-decade in federal prison. The indictment further alleges that the defendants went to various lengths to conceal the fraud from the state.Such lengths included: creating fake report cards, manufacturing false addresses for the students of the private schools who lived outside of Alabama, and submitting falsified course completion reports to the state department of education. The Plaintiffs, in this case, are students who prosecutors say had their identities stolen. ATHENS, Ala. (WAFF) - Former Athens superintendent, William Lee Trey Holladay has entered a guilty plea for a conspiracy charge. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. - Former Athens City Schools Superintendent Trey Holladay officially pleaded guilty in a multi-million dollar virtual academy fraud scheme on Thursday. According to court records and information contained in Holladays plea agreement, Holladay and Sisk gave the state lists of enrolled students who were, in reality, full-time students at private schools located in other parts of the state. The following statement was read by Superintendent Beth Patton: The Athens City Schools community is shocked and very concerned to read Tuesdays release from the U.S. Attorneys office. After a full review of the situation and the uncertainties of the circumstances, the board of education believes it is both timely and appropriate to make a change in leadership as it is in the best interest of Athens City Schools. Such lengths included: creating fake report cards, manufacturing false addresses for the students of the private schools who lived outside of Alabama, and submitting falsified course completion reports to the state department of education. The state department told federal officials it had recouped funding from Limestone and Conecuh counties, but did not state the amounts. I hope that this indictment serves as a warning for others who might try to line their pockets with public funds., Public corruption remains the FBIs top criminal priority because public officials must be trusted to do their jobs with honesty and integrity, stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr. The citizens of Alabama should rest assured that the FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate corruption at every level and hold accountable those officials who violate the publics trust and use their position for profit or gain., These so-called educators have been charged for preying on the schools that placed them in positions of trust to educate students and the students they promised to serve. And the investigation might not be over. According to court documents, education records will not be disclosed to the public, however, they will only be shared with those involved in this case. Upon reviewing the allegations against Dr. Rick Carter, Athens City Schools has placed him on administrative leave until further notice. Corkren also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr. Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector Generals Southeastern Regional Office. DIVISION II STATE CHAMPIONS. Trey Holladay is a Principal at Oxford City Schools based in Oxford, Alabama. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. ATHENS, Ala. A former Athens City Schools superintendent and a former Limestone County Schools superintendent are two of the six people listed in a federal indictment involving charges of Conspiracy, Wire Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft. W.L. Trey and Deborah Holladay released the following statement following the indictments release: We are a family of teachers and coaches. Moving forward, we will be a transparent and accountable school system which provides the best educational experience we can for our students.. All rights reserved. This page is not available in other languages. 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In the initial indictment, prosecutors said that the two school districts were improperly paid $7 million in the scheme, which Holladay, Sisk and four alleged codefendants diverted. Two other co-defendants Greg Corkren and David Tutt have admitted to operating similar businesses, with all involved raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars for locating virtual students that never actually enrolled in the Athens virtual school. Former teacher Greg Corkren and former Marengo High football coach Webb Tutt will serve 22 and 24 months, respectively, in federal prison. We will continue to hold high standards at every level from local schools to the state with the expectation that every public school dollar will be spent to support our children., Public officials and employees are obligated to perform their duties and administer funds with integrity and according to requirements of the law, said Alabama Attorney General Marshall. Former Limestone County Superintendent Tom Sisk was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison on Tuesday, fined $15,000 and ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. RELATED: Athens City Schools approves separation agreement with former superintendent, $250,000 payment. Trey received a master's degree degree from West Alabama . First Day of School 2023-2024. Example video title will go here for this video. Now, after months of a federal investigation, the Athens City School Board of Education unanimously approved a $250,000 separation agreement with Holladay. Jul. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. . Rick Carter, a former principal in Athens, was found guilty by a federal court jury earlier this year for his role in the scheme and is awaiting sentencing. Scroll to continue reading. Co-defendants . An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. Scoops about Oxford City Schools . The Dept. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The systems received state funds for those students. Two more of his co-conspirators will join him for at least a portion of that time. SUPERINTENDENT. The various defendants then received, for their own personal use, portions of the state money. The first of the Measure PS projects were completed in summer 2009. Public Invited to 'Spring Into Wellness' Community Health Festival. Now, after months of a federal investigation, the Athens City School Board of Education unanimously approved a $250,000 separation agreement with Holladay. enewscourier.com . All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Show All Show Calendar. Six people, including two former superintendents, are named in the indictment. If convicted of the conspiracy charge, the DOJ says that , "Each defendant faces a maximum sentence of five ears imprisonment, as well as substantial monetary penalties and restitution. Dr. Beth Taylor. In his sentencing order on Thursday, federal judge Myron Thompson noted that the now-felons preyed upon some of the poorest school districts in Alabama, diverting hundreds of thousands of public school dollars from Alabama public schools and sending them instead to mostly white private schools that were operating in predominantly Black counties. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Former Limestone County Schools Superintendent Tom Sisk, left, and former Athens City Schools Superintendent Trey Holladay, right. Retired teacher Gregory Greg Earl Corkren was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison and must pay $1.3 million in restitution, and former Marengo Academy football coach David Webb Tutt was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and must pay restitution of $259,000 and a fine of $15,000. The defendants skimmed the state money through direct cash payments and payments to third-party contractors owned by the various co-conspirators. None of the other individuals charged in the indictment remain affiliated with Athens City Schools in any manner. Former Athens City Schools superintendent William L. "Trey" Holladay III on Thursday received the maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and ordered to pay $2.9 million in. In the court records, federal officials also said they will drop charges against Holladays wife, Deborah Holladay, who initially was charged with six counts of wire fraud. Now a resident of Montgomery, Holladay pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the Alabama State Department of Education. A spokesperson for the FBI confirms that "law enforcement action" was taken at the home of Athens City School Superintendent Trey Holladay on Tuesday morning. Former Athens, Limestone superintendents face federal conspiracy, fraud charges; Carter placed on leave, ACS Board reads prepared statement at Thursdays special meeting, keeps Carter on leave, Fraud by Wire, Radio or Television (87 counts), Fraud with Identification Documents (35 counts), Fraud by Wire, Radio or Television (6 counts), Fraud by Wire, Radio or Television (85 counts), Whats old is new again: Joe Davis Stadium comes back to life ahead of HFC season-opener, Former FBI investigator gives insight on Texas shooter manhunt, FBI confirms law enforcement action taken at Athens City Schools superintendents home. The U.S. Department of Justice released an indictment Tuesday related to the investigation of a former Superintendent of Athens City Schools. During the school years that the scheme allegedly occurredthe 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 school yearsthe private school students and parents had little to no connection with the public school districts in which they were supposedly enrolled. 20Former Limestone County Superintendent Tom Sisk was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty on April 8, 2021 to conspiring to defraud the United States government. Court records show on Tuesday Holladay. www.acs-k12.org/board. David Rothwell Athletic Director at Iredell-Statesville Schools Statesville, NC. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). Montgomery, Alabama On Tuesday, February 23, 2021, six individuals appeared in court after being indicted on charges related to the fraudulent enrollment of students in Alabama virtual schools, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr., and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kori Smith of the U.S. Department of Educations Office of Inspector General. Reporter Josh Moon contributed to this report. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - Former Athens Superintendent William Lee "Trey" Holladay is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty for conspiracy in December. A federal judge granted the motion on Dec. 7. City of Pasadena Releases Independent Review of Officer-Involved Shooting of Anthony McClain. These sentences may seem severe, but they are in accordance with the severity of the criminal acts these individuals committed.. APRs Josh Moon first reported about the FBIs investigation into Holladay in August when he reported that in less than three years, Limestones general fund budget swelled from a reserve balance of around $2 million to now more than $20 million. April 20, 2023. Current Limestone County Schools Superintendent Dr. Randy Shearouse released this statement: On Tuesday, February 23, 2021, Limestone County Schools learned it was mentioned in an indictment for involvement with a virtual school program during the 2016-2017 school year. Thomas Sisk was the superintendent of the Limestone County, Alabama School District during the times investigated. In November 2008, 75% of voters approved Measure PS, a $235 million school bond measure, to provide for the renovation of schools. The defendants named in the indictment are: (1)Dr. William L. (Trey) Holladay, III, 56, a resident of Athens, Alabama and the former superintendent of the Athens City Schools district; (2)Deborah Irby Holladay, 57, of Athens and formerly employed by the Athens City Schools district; (3)William Richard (Rick) Carter, Jr., 45, also of Athens, currently the executive director of planning for Athens City Schools and formerly the districts director of innovative programs; (4)David Webb Tutt, 61, of Uniontown, Alabama; (5)Gregory (Greg) Earl Corkren, 56, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; and (6)Thomas Michael Sisk, 55, a resident of Toney, Alabama and formerly the superintendent of the Limestone County School district. You can email him at [emailprotected] or reach him via Twitter. Carter faces up to 20 years in prison in addition to fines and restitution. He is in his fourth year as superintendent of the Athens City Schools system in Athens, AL. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Details on the plea agreement were released by the U.S. Attorneys Office in Montgomery on Thursday. In total, the Alabama Department of Education believes the six people robbed public schools of more than $5 million using a variety of methods to falsify virtual schools rolls and illegally gain more per-pupil funding. 'Trey' Holladay, Ed.D. However, over the course of several years, the individuals named in the indictment betrayed the trust of not only our citizens but our students, parents, and other teachers and administrators who continue to work diligently every day. The four co-defendants each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to . The students continued to attend the brick-and-mortar private schools each day, they received instruction from employees of the private schools, and, after class, some played sports for their private schools. In reality, however, the participants of the scheme were falsifying student names and using the personal information of actively enrolled private school students to bump up enrollment numbers. The Athens City Schools Board of Education held a special meeting Thursday at 7:30 a.m. Holladays wife, Deborah, was accused in the federal indictment of establishing a bogus consulting company, which the Athens system allegedly paid to locate virtual students. Former Athens City Schools Superintendent Trey Holladay, one of six defendants indicted on federal charges of conspiracy in the scheme, is charged with conspiracy and 88 counts of wire fraud. He still faces 88 counts of wire fraud and 34 counts of aggravated identity theft. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Co-defendant William Richard Carter, Jr. is currently set for trial on February 7, 2022. Pasadena's Minimum Wage Rate Increases to $16.93 on July 1. We appreciate so much the overwhelming support from our friends and community. The Board says they will begin the process and timeline for posting and selecting a new superintendent within the next few weeks. Trey Holladay, 57, faces up to five years in prison and substantial monetary penalties according to a statement by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Alabama. Because of state laws, Athens Schools officials have been unable to terminate Rick Carter, who was convicted in March of seven felonies. According to his. The system refers further inquiries about the matter to Dr. Holladay's legal counsel and the federal officials involved." . In fact, as mentioned during the Justice Departments press conference, the indictment does not include any current Limestone County School employees. The defendants named in the indictment are: (1) Dr. William L. ("Trey") Holladay, III, 56, a resident of Athens, Alabama and the former superintendent of the Athens City Schools district; (2) Deborah Irby Holladay, 57, of Athens and formerly employed by the Athens City Schools district; (3) William Richard ("Rick") Carter, Jr., 45, also of Additionally, Athens City Schools filed a motion for a protective order of education records in November. Published on December 17, 2021 at 7:52 am CST. Trey Holladay. Wednesday, March 15, 2023 Print Edition St. Patrick's Day in Athens A Tuscaloosa County man mentioned more than 150 times in a federal indictment involving four local former educators received more. Holladay was on leave from June 2020 until his last day with the district on Oct. 31, 2020. We are a family of teachers and coaches. However, the government agreed to drop more than 80 additional counts against Holladay most of which were various counts of wire fraud related to the conspiracy and dropped all charges against Holladays wife, who participated in the scheme. Moving forward, we will be a transparent and accountable school system which provides the best educational experience we can for our students. The U.S. Attorneys Office made a motion to dismiss all pending charges against his wife on December 16 as well. Holladays tenure as superintendent will end on October 31. Courtesy photos This funding was used in part to fund. Holladay was on leave from June 2020 until his last day with the district on Oct. 31, 2020. Copyright 2021 WAFF. Federal officials said the two former superintendents and four other people fraudulently claimed private school students who attended schools in the Black Belt Region, were enrolled full time in Athens City and Limestone County School Districts. In 1995 the school district bought the former Indian Hill Mall, a failing shopping center built in the 1960s, and redeveloped it into an educational, commercial and retail complex called The Village at Indian Hill.[1]. Thursday night the Athens City School Board announced they are going forward in making changes in the districts leadership. She says following the statement, the board unanimously voted to keep Rick Carter on administrative leave. . is a thirty-one-year veteran public school educator with twenty-seven years in educational leadership.He is in his fourth year as superintendent of the Athens City Schools system in Athens, AL. As part of the plea agreement, the U.S. Attorneys Office will move to dismiss other charges against Holladay. Additionally, Trey Holladay, Carter, and Corkren are charged with aggravated identity theft. Date: 8/14/2023. A fourth defendant, former Limestone County superintendent Tom Sisk, was sentenced on Wednesday to 18 months in federal prison. If you want to plan the perfect spring picnic, food and drink are important, but its certainly not the only factor to consider. All rights reserved (About Us). Board of Education members are elected to a four-year term. Rick Carter is an employee of the Athens City School District with some past duties including technology teacher and virtual programs coordinator. Holladay and his co-defendants offered laptop computers, access to online curriculum, standardized testing and money to entice private schools, mostly located in Alabamas Black Belt, and gain access to those schools students private information, which they used to steal from the state, the press release states. See WAFFs story below from October 2020 when the Athens City Board of Education removed Holladay from his role as Superintendent. The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to fraudulently enroll students in public virtual schools and then falsely report those students to the Alabama State Department of Education. So far, the operators of the private schools have not faced charges for their roles, if any, in the scheme. Jordan Holladay Tristan Hudson Noah Ingle Andrew Kaminsky Stephen Kight Riley McDonald Jake Monroe . Sentencing is expected next year. Its just wrong, Opinion | Sen. Jay Hovey may have meant well, but he was wrong. Corkren faced an additional two-year sentence and up to $250,000 fine for the aggravated identity theft charge. Codefendants Gregory Earl Corkren, David Webb Tutt and Sisk previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the government.

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