A Total of 14 Indicted on RICO Charges in Alleged Theft of Millions From Floyd County School System

A total of 14 people have been indicted by a Floyd County Grand Jury on charges related to the alleged theft of millions of dollars from the Floyd County School System.

Those indicted are:

Derry Scott Richardson – former Floyd County School System Maintenance Director.

Samuel Sprewell – former Floyd County School System Chief of Operations.

Robert Mitchell Anderson – formerly of City Electric Supply, who allegedly profited $24,318.00 from the theft scheme, mostly commission earned from fraudulent sales, with $7,318 unlawfully taken from the FCBOE. 

Harry Anthony Bailey – former part owner of Romcom, Inc.  Authorities say Romcom profited $42,943.47 from the theft scheme. 

Russell David Burkhalter – T&R Electric, a former subcontractor for FBOE.  The indictment states that his profit in the theft scheme totals 142,550.46. 

David Gary English – part owner of Southeastern Security Professionals LLC, a subcontractor for JCI and FCBOE.  English and SSP profited a minimum of $64,250.00 from the theft scheme, according to the indictment. 

Rodney Don Holder – formerly of JCI and Southeastern Security Professional, a subcontractor for FCBOE.  Holder allegedly got two all-terrain vehicles and money from the scheme. 

Dwayne Lee Richardson – Derry Richardson’s brother, whose profit in the theft scheme totals $91,389.51, according to authorities.

Jimmy Richardson – Derry Richardson’s father.  Investigators say his profit in the scheme totals $185,981.40. 

Lisa Michelle Richardson – Derry Richardson’s wife, who is alleged to be responsible for the wrongful acquisition and benefit of $1,193,310.30. 

Charles R. Sherman – formerly of City Electric Supply, who is accused of unlawfully profiting his sales commission from the theft scheme. 

Samuel M. Tucker – SMT Metal Fabrication, a former subcontractor for FCBOE.  He is allegedly responsible for unlawfully taking $568,289.25 of FCBOE funds. 

Robert Chad Watson – former Maintenance Operations Coordinator with FCBOE, who allegedly profited in the amount of $36,904.17.

James David Fielder – formerly of JCI, received $45,689.50 from the theft scheme, according to authorities.  

All are charged with violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.

According to the indictment:

“In his role as facilities director for the Floyd County Board of Education, Derry Scott Richardson conspired with fellow BOE employees and employees of construction and maintenance companies to produce completely fraudulent invoices or inflated invoices for construction and maintenance projects. As a result of this scheme, Derry Richardson and others stole $6,331,13 5.00 from the Floyd County Board of Education; money that was intended for the benefit of the children of the Floyd County Schools.”

The state began seizing property belonging to Derry Richardson on April 14, 2015, as part of a complaint that alleges that Richardson and others engaged in and committed at least two or more acts of racketeering activity in violating state law relating to theft against the school system.

He, his wife, his brother, his father, Anderson, Bailey, Tucker, Burkhalter, and Watson were arrested in June of 2016, along with former school system employee William Greg McCary, who died in May of 2017 following a fall at Little River Canyon.

English, Holder, and Sherman were arrested in July 2017.

The Floyd County School System issued the following statement Monday afternoon:

“The Floyd County Board of Education appreciates the hard work men and women of our local law enforcement and district attorney’s office have put into this case. The school system has cooperated fully in the investigation while keeping our focus on our students and their achievement. We trust the legal process and look forward to justice being served.”

You can read the entire 111-page indictment below.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part4

Part 5

Part 6

 

(WRGA/www.wrgarome.com)

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn
Share on email
Email
Share on print
Print