Trey Holladay is a Principal at Oxford City Schools based in Oxford, Alabama. Ivey announces new record low unemployment rate for Alabama, Small business optimism declines in March, 2022 economic development projects brought record capital investment, Online job ads in February down 12.4 percent from last year, Britt: Kids Social Media Act critical for protecting children, Sewell calls on Congress to reject Republican debt ceiling demands, Britt part of bipartisan effort to regulate kids use of social media, US Sen. 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His previous experience includes system-wide administrator, high school principal, elementary principal, assistant principal, athletic director, classroom teacher, and head football coach within the state of Alabama. Thursday night the Athens City School Board announced they are going forward in making changes in the districts leadership. 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. During his professional career, Tutt held various positions, including football coach at Marengo Academy in Linden. In doing so, they stole children and parents identities and bribed administrators of private schools. The mastermind of Alabamas virtual school enrollment scam was sentenced Thursday to a half-decade in federal prison. Former Limestone County Schools superintendent Tom Sisk was indicted on one charge of Conspiracy. 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. PRIVACY POLICY | 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. The Athens City Schools Board of Education held a special meeting Thursday at 7:30 a.m. The various defendants then received, for their own personal use, portions of the state money. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Moving forward, we will be a transparent and accountable school system which provides the best educational experience we can for our students.. 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. 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. Former Athens City School teacher Deborah Irby Holladay was indicted on one charge of Conspiracy and numerous charges of Wire Fraud. The defendants in this case prioritized their own profits over the education needs of our students. 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]. All three must report to the Bureau of Prisons by 2 p.m. on Sept. 1. 'Trey' Holladay, Ed.D. Robert Bentley's resignation for similar crimes. The public schools in those counties are made up almost entirely of Black students. Athens City School Superintendent Trey Holladay was placed on administrative leave after federal agents raided his home in June, 2020. 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. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Educations Office of Inspector General. Josh Moon is an investigative reporter and featured columnist at the Alabama Political Reporter with years of political reporting experience in Alabama. www.acs-k12.org/board. There is absolutely no way that we would do anything detrimental to the school system. 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. The former superintendent of the Athens City Schools System on Thursday pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to defraud the state by inflating the number of students enrolled in a virtual school. Now, after months of a federal investigation, the Athens City School Board of Education unanimously approved a $250,000 separation agreement with Holladay. The U.S. Attorneys Office made a motion to dismiss all pending charges against his wife on December 16 as well. 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. Holladays tenure as superintendent will end on October 31. Athens, Alabama. Former Athens, Limestone superintendents face federal conspiracy, fraud The school systems agreed to pay the consulting companies a percentage of the per-pupil funds. 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). That is completely unacceptable, said Kori Smith, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector Generals Southeastern Regional Office. The charges against us are unfounded and will be vigorously defended. Corkren also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft. Here, both the Limestone County School District and the Athens City School District received more than their fair share of funding at the expense of even the most cash-strapped school district, Thompson wrote. Tutt will pay $259,000. Now, after months of a federal investigation, the Athens City School Board of Education unanimously approved a $250,000 separation agreement with Holladay. As the office responsible for identifying fraud, abuse, and other criminal activity involving U.S. Department of Education funds and programs, ensuring that those who abuse these funds or game the system for their own selfish purposes are stopped and held accountable for their criminal actions is a big part of our mission., Integrity and trust are characteristics of Alabama teachers and administrators. Trial delayed for defendants in virtual schools fraud case The FBI started investigating Holladays home in June 2020. David Tutt was a resident of Marengo County. RELATED: Limestone County Schools Superintendent Tom Sisk heading to Bristol, TN Board of Education. 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. David Rothwell Athletic Director at Iredell-Statesville Schools Statesville, NC. Carter's co-conspirators include former superintendent of the Athens City Schools district Dr. William L. ("Trey") Holladay, III; David Webb Tutt, of Uniontown, Alabama; Gregory ("Greg") Earl Corkren, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; and former superintendent of the Limestone County School district Thomas Michael Sisk. Codefendants Gregory Earl Corkren, David Webb Tutt and Sisk previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the government. Eddie Burkhalter is a reporter at the Alabama Political Reporter. The indictment states the purpose of the conspiracy was to obtain greater state funding allocations through the Foundation Program than they would otherwise have been entitled to Athens City Schools would then use, directly and indirectly, portions of the excess money to fund the completion of capital projects, including, the new campus of Athens High School. . Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. City of Pasadena Releases Independent Review of Officer-Involved Shooting of Anthony McClain. 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. The Dept. You can email him at [emailprotected] or reach him via Twitter. Former Athens Superintendent set to receive sentence after guilty YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Peeples most recently served as an inspector in the Inspection Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington. All the while, the state reimbursed the Athens City Schools district and the Limestone County Schools district for the cost of supposedly educating these private school students. ATHENS, Ala. (WAFF) - Former Athens superintendent, William Lee "Trey" Holladay has entered a guilty plea for a conspiracy charge. The various defendants then received, for theirown personal use, portions of the state money. If convicted of the conspiracy charge, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, as well as substantial monetary penalties and restitution. In fact, as mentioned during the Justice Departments press conference, the indictment does not include any current Limestone County School employees. Former Athens, Limestone superintendents face federal conspiracy - WAFF Athens City School Administrator Found Guilty in Virtual Education We appreciate so much the overwhelming support from our friends and community. School of Extended Educational Options (SEEO), http://www.pusd.org/education/sctemp/d3791dd2c7ae6f68b7dd64a4d6adcbf7/1208669480/District_Boundry_Map.pdf, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pomona_Unified_School_District&oldid=1149498594, Deputy Superintendent, Human Resources: Darren Knowles, Interim Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services: Lilia Fuentes, Interim Assistant Superintendent, Chief Financial Officer: Sandra Garcia, Assistant Superintendent, Pupil & Community Services: Fernando Meza, Fremont Academy of Engineering and Design, Lorbeer Middle School - California Distinguished School, 1999; National Blue Ribbon School, 19992000, This page was last edited on 12 April 2023, at 16:31. As a result of the fraudulent reporting the school systems received payments from Alabamas Education Trust Fund as if the students actually attended public schools. Former Athens Superintendent William L. "Trey" Holladay III, retired teacher Gregory "Greg" Earl Corkren and former Marengo Academy football coach David "Webb" Tutt are scheduled for. Former Athens superintendent pleads guilty, settles conspiracy case Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. There is absolutely no way that we would do anything detrimental to the school system. Trial delayed for former Athens City Schools superintendent accused in Trey received a master's degree degree from West Alabama . The three pleaded guilty last year for their roles in the scheme. This page is not available in other languages. Additionally, Athens City Schools filed a motion for a protective order of education records in November. 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. He faces up to 20 years in prison. 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. ATHENS, Ala. (WAFF) - Former Athens superintendent, William Lee Trey Holladay has entered a guilty plea for a conspiracy charge. 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 Now, after months of a federal investigation, the Athens City School Board of Education unanimously approved a $250,000 separation agreement with Holladay. Because the jury found the state proved certain aggravating circumstances, Dismukes could face a prison sentence of up to 20 years. 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 restitution for his part in a multimillion dollar fraud scheme where he ordered private school students to be enrolled as full-time virtual public school students in order to receive state education funding. Former Athens superintendent ordered to serve years in federal prison A sentencing date has not been set for Holladay. The agreement states Holladay will face a minimum sentence of no fewer than 30 months in prison. Reporter Josh Moon contributed to this report. Five others were named in Tuesdays indictment. WATCH: Former Athens and Limestone County superintendents indicted on He is also listed as a friend of Trey Holladay in the indictment. They also concocted a scheme in which Tutt, Corkren and Deborah Holladay, Trey Holladays wife, created consulting companies that allegedly recruited students to the virtual schools. Alabama department of education wanted defendants to repay $5.7 million, found guilty of conspiracy, four counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft in March, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. 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. Former Limestone County superintendent sentenced in fraud case Court records show on Tuesday Holladay. All rights reserved (About Us). Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan S. Ross, Alice S. LaCour, and Brett J. Talley are prosecuting the case. Two more of his co-conspirators will join him for at least a portion of that time. Former Athens City School superintendent pleads guilty to defrauding state Superintendent Trey Holladay is shown in a photo on the Athens City Schools website. Trey Holladay - Principal - Oxford City Schools | ZoomInfo Former Athens City Schools (ACS) Superintendent Trey Holladay and former Limestone County Superintendent Tom Sisk were both indicted, along with Deborah Irby Holladay, Trey Holladay's. Alabama teachers, ex-football coach indicted in education fraud case 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. The Los Angeles teachers union's last strike was in 2019. SUPERINTENDENT. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Because of state laws, Athens Schools officials have been unable to terminate Rick Carter, who was convicted in March of seven felonies. Tutt is listed as a longtime friend of Trey Holladay in the indictment. Board of Education members are elected to a four-year term. See WAFFs story below from October 2020 when the Athens City Board of Education removed Holladay from his role as Superintendent. Corkren and Tutt each faced a sentence of up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. Scroll to continue reading. WAFF 48 reached out to Athens City Schools for a comment regarding this case. He is in his fourth year as superintendent of the Athens City Schools system in Athens, AL. Tom Sisk, who pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme, will serve 18 months in federal prison. 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. The Board says they will begin the process and timeline for posting and selecting a new superintendent within the next few weeks. Dr. Beth Taylor. Alabama Board of Education Vice President Wayne Reynolds told AL.com that the sentences were justified. The defendants skimmed the state money through direct cash payments and payments to third-party contractors owned by the various co-conspirators. According to his. 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. Holladay left the school district months after the FBI started investigating him in 2020. These sentences may seem severe, but they are in accordance with the severity of the criminal acts these individuals committed..
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