trey holladay superintendent

The federal investigation has been ongoing since that time. Limestone Co Indictment by WAFF 48 on Scribd. A few years ago, some of the same people excusing Trump's recent indictment were celebrating Gov. Gregory Corkren was a resident of Tuscaloosa County, Alabama and was a retired public educator. Former Athens City Schools superintendent Trey Holladay has been sentenced to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to participating in a multiyear scheme to defraud the state. 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. 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 tell the state false numbers of students in their school systems so that they could pocket additional state money. See WAFFs story below from October 2020 when the Athens City Board of Education removed Holladay from his role as Superintendent. And the investigation might not be over. The state department told federal officials it had recouped funding from Limestone and Conecuh counties, but did not state the amounts. Court records show on Tuesday Holladay changed his plea of not guilty to guilty for one count of conspiracy. 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. Additionally, any defendant convicted of aggravated identity theft could receive a mandatory consecutive two-year sentence on each count. Co-defendant William Richard Carter, Jr. is currently set for trial on February 7, 2022. The public schools in those counties are made up almost entirely of Black students. If convicted of the conspiracy charge, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, as well as substantial monetary penalties and restitution. Holladay was one of three defendants sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson. Copyright 2021 WAFF. A former Athens school superintendent has pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to defraud the Alabama State Department of Education by falsely inflating the number of students enrolled in public virtual schools. There is absolutely no way that we would do anything detrimental to the school system. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The Athens City Board of Education voted 5-2 Wednesday to hire William "Trey" Holladay as superintendent contingent on contract approval. 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 mastermind of the virtual school scam, was hit with a lengthy prison sentence and hefty fine. Details on the plea agreement were released by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Montgomery on Thursday. Trey Holladay. In a statement, Superintendent Eric Mackey said the state department had worked with investigators and prosecutors on the issue. According to the indictment, the defendants obtained student identities to use in their scheme from various private schools located across the stateparticularly private schools in the Black Belt region of Alabama. 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 . Court records show on Tuesday Holladay. is a thirty-one-year veteran public school educator with twenty-seven years in educational leadership. 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. Those students continued to attend brick-and-mortar private schools each day, continued to participate in private school athletics and their parents continued to pay tuition to the private schools. The school system will continue to work with federal officials and the Alabama State Department of Education as the matter proceeds in court. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 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. According to court records and information contained in Holladays plea agreement, Holladay and Sisk did so when they submitted to the ALSDE lists of enrolled students who were, in reality, full-time students at private schools located in other parts of the state.. 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. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Tutt is listed as a longtime friend of Trey Holladay in the indictment. 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. The school systems agreed to pay the consulting companies a percentage of the per-pupil funds. All sections in the city are zoned to an elementary, middle, and high school.[3]. Tutt will pay $259,000. The scheme saw educators steal the identities of students in private schools and then use them to bilk public schools out of millions. Advertisement. The charges against us are unfounded and will be vigorously defended. He faces up to 20 years in prison. April 19, 2023. The Board of Education will have a Special Called Meeting on Thursday, February 25, 2021, at 7:30 a.m. in the central office board room. Upon reviewing the allegations against Dr. Rick Carter, Athens City Schools has placed him on administrative leave until further notice. 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. NASAs SpaceX Crew-5 Astronauts Visits Marshall Space Flight Center, Mental Health Awareness Month: Erasing the stigma of mental illness, Athens City Schools approves separation agreement with former superintendent, $250,000 payment, Limestone County Schools Superintendent Tom Sisk heading to Bristol, TN Board of Education. Published on December 17, 2021 at 7:52 am CST. Holladays tenure as superintendent will end on October 31. Former Athens City School teacher Deborah Irby Holladay was indicted on one charge of Conspiracy and numerous charges of Wire Fraud. 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. All three must report to the Bureau of Prisons by 2 p.m. on Sept. 1. The private schools used in the scheme are almost entirely white. 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 The Los Angeles teachers union's last strike was in 2019. Its just wrong, Opinion | Sen. Jay Hovey may have meant well, but he was wrong. Sentencing is expected next year. ATHENS, Ala. (WAFF) - Former Athens superintendent, William Lee "Trey" Holladay has entered a guilty plea for a conspiracy charge. There is absolutely no way that we would do anything detrimental to the school system. The Board has not been informed of a date certain for the conclusion of the investigation. Tom Sisk, who pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme, will serve 18 months in federal prison. NINETY-SIX HIGH SCHOOL. 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. None of the other individuals charged in the indictment remain affiliated with Athens City Schools in any manner. 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 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. Upon reviewing the allegations against Dr. Rick Carter, Athens City Schools has placed him on administrative leave until further notice. 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. Any defendant convicted of wire or mail fraud faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, as well as substantial monetary penalties and restitution. Corkren faced an additional two-year sentence and up to $250,000 fine for the aggravated identity theft charge. ATHENS, Ala. (WAFF) - Former Athens superintendent, William Lee Trey Holladay has entered a guilty plea for a conspiracy charge. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. As Attorney General, I am committed to stand together with our partners in law enforcement to ensure that allegations of wrongdoing are investigated, and that appropriate action is taken.. If you want to plan the perfect spring picnic, food and drink are important, but its certainly not the only factor to consider. Holladay faces up to five years in prison and large fines after pleading guilty. And Thompson said testimony revealed that 98 percent of the students used in the scheme were white. Thomas Sisk was the superintendent of the Limestone County, Alabama School District during the times investigated. The Day's Scoop: Your daily email briefing on all things Alabama politics. A federal judge granted the motion on Dec. 7. 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. Six people, including two former superintendents, are named in the indictment. The indictment further alleges that the defendants went to various lengths to conceal the fraud from the state. During his professional career, Tutt held various positions, including football coach at Marengo Academy in Linden. Pasadena's Minimum Wage Rate Increases to $16.93 on July 1. April 27, 2023. RELATED: Athens City Schools approves separation agreement with former superintendent, $250,000 payment. Additionally, Trey Holladay, Carter, and Corkren are charged with aggravated identity theft. Six of the defendants in the lawsuit former Athens City Schools Superintendent Trey Holladay, his wife Deborah Holladay, ACS Director of Planning Rick Carter, former Limestone County Schools . A sentencing date has not been set for Holladay. The FBI started investigating Holladays home in June 2020. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. In November 2008, 75% of voters approved Measure PS, a $235 million school bond measure, to provide for the renovation of schools. They anticipate to have a new superintendent in place very soon. 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. 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. 'Trey' Holladay, Ed.D. 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. We appreciate so much the overwhelming support from our friends and community. Former Athens City Schools Superintendent Trey Holladay and former Limestone County. Five others were named in Tuesdays indictment. The U.S. Department of Justice released an indictment Tuesday related to the investigation of a former Superintendent of Athens City Schools. 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. 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. ACS 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.". conspired to tell the state false numbers of students in their school systems, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. PRIVACY POLICY | Carter will be sentenced in August. According to a former lawmaker, the FBI and U.S. Department of Education were asking questions about other possible issues within Alabamas virtual schools as late as this fall. Now, after months of a federal investigation, the Athens City School Board of Education unanimously approved a $250,000 separation agreement with Holladay. A trial date had been set for September 13th in Montgomery for former Athens City Schools Superintendent Trey Holladay, his wife Deborah Holladay and Rick Carter, director of innovative. 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. Superintendent Trey Holladay is shown in a photo on the Athens City Schools website. The indictment also contains substantive wire fraud charges against Trey Holladay, Deborah Holladay, and Carter. 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. ATHENS, Ala. (WAFF) - UPDATE: See details from Thursdays special meeting of the Athens City Board of Education below the details of each individuals charges. It is located 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, and is the third-largest school district in Los Angeles County. Subscribe to EDU for a bi-weekly digest of articles.Privacy Policy, Scholastics blog abouteducation and learning. 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. Hollaway was ordered to pay $2.9 million. 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. 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 four months that the investigation has been underway, officials within the school system say they have fully cooperated with a federal investigation, and, per the superintendents contract, has continued to pay Holladays salary and related benefits. The Alabama Attorney Generals Office also assisted in the investigation. Peeples most recently served as an inspector in the Inspection Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington. The high number of counts, a total of of 127, is because each alleged instance of fraudulent enrollment and identity theft is a separate count. So far, the operators of the private schools have not faced charges for their roles, if any, in the scheme. enewscourier.com . The three pleaded guilty last year for their roles in the scheme. 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]. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The defendants skimmed the state money through direct cash payments and payments to third-party contractors owned by the various co-conspirators. ACADEMIC CHALLENGE TEAM. Now, after months of a federal investigation, the Athens City School Board of Education unanimously approved a $250,000 separation agreement with Holladay. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan S. Ross, Alice S. LaCour, and Brett J. Talley are prosecuting the case. Former teacher Greg Corkren and former Marengo High football coach Webb Tutt will serve 22 and 24 months, respectively, in federal prison. You can email him at [emailprotected] or reach him via Twitter. Moving forward, we will be a transparent and accountable school system which provides the best educational experience we can for our students. The defendants in this case prioritized their own profits over the education needs of our students. Any defendant convicted of wire or mail fraud faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, as well as substantial monetary penalties and restitution. Holladay now faces a maximum five-year prison sentence and has agreed to potential monetary penalties imposed by a judge, according to court records. All rights reserved (About Us). Dr. Trey Holladay and Deborah Holladay released the following joint statement. According to the indictment, "The purpose of the conspiracy for ACS [Athens City Schools], LCS [Limestone County Schools], and CCS [Conecuh County Schools] to obtain greater statefunding allocations through the Foundation Program than they would otherwise have been entitled to by purporting to enroll into their respective virtual schools students who were in fact full-time students of brick-and-mortar private schools and who were not taking even close to what could be considered full course loads through a virtual education program. Carter faces up to 20 years in prison in addition to fines and restitution. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. 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. Carters motion for a new trial was rejected by Judge Thompson. The four co-defendants each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to . Ill write about them over and over again. The Plaintiffs, in this case, are students who prosecutors say had their identities stolen. Alabamas community colleges have experienced an increase in enrollment by at least 5 percent each year since 2020. Marshals, Secret Service assist in Hartselle, Bill passes to ban smoking in car with minor, Tuesday Morning set to close all its stores, 6 in, Domestic abuse victim shares story of attempted murder, BestReviews.com - Top gifts to make everyone happy this spring, Surprise your mom with one of these Mothers Day, Mothers Day inspo: This foot massager has 20,000, Drew Barrymores Walmart collection is perfect for, Best Mothers Day gifts for the budding plant mom, Best Mothers Day Gifts for moms obsessed with books, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. In fact, as mentioned during the Justice Departments press conference, the indictment does not include any current Limestone County School employees. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. ACS 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. The Board says they will begin the process and timeline for posting and selecting a new superintendent within the next few weeks. Athens City School Superintendent Trey Holladay was placed on administrative leave after federal agents raided his home in June, 2020. Alabama Board of Education Vice President Wayne Reynolds told AL.com that the sentences were justified. 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. Assistant Superintendent at Iredell-Statesville Schools Statesville, NC. All rights reserved. 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. LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. Former Athens City Schools Superintendent Trey Holladay, his wife and former Limestone County Schools Superintendent Tom Sisk are among those named in a federal. 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. According to the plea agreement, additional charges of wire fraud and identity theft against Holladay were dropped.

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