Beaumont Independent School District Employees Charged with Stealing More Than $4 Million

BEAUMONT, TX—The Director of Finance and Comptroller of the Beaumont Independent School District (BISD) have been indicted on federal charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

Devin Wayne McCraney, 35, and Sharika Baksh Allison, 43, both of Beaumont, were named in a 19-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury today charging them with conspiracy and 18 counts of fraud.

According to the indictment, beginning in 2010, McCraney, director of Finance for BISD, and Allison, comptroller for BISD, are alleged to have devised schemes in which they embezzled $4,041,705.27 from BISD by means of 18 separate wire transfers to bank accounts under their personal control.

“FDR famously said, ‘The school is the last expenditure upon which America should be willing to economize,’” said U.S. Attorney Bales. “And the truth is that the citizens of Beaumont have heeded that wise advice and have spent lavishly on their public schools for the sake of the city’s children. But as this indictment illustrates, there are individuals at BISD who have corruptly embezzled from that generous provision by stealing over $4 million dollars that was intended to underwrite excellent schools in Beaumont. The grand jury has alleged that Devin McCraney and Sharika Allison have been caught red-handed and if convicted, they will face justice. In the same way, federal agents and prosecutors will remain vigilant to detect, investigate, and hold accountable other so-called public servants who are abusing the public trust.”

"The FBI recognizes that fighting public corruption is vital to preserving our democracy," said SAC Stephen L. Morris. "Our public officials have and always will be held to a higher standard to maintain their positions of trust. These indictments today signify a violation of the public trust given to Devin McCraney and Sharika Allison."

If you have any information related to this matter, please call the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 409-832-8571.

“Today’s indictment alleges that these two public officials knowingly and willfully abused their positions of trust to steal funds from the very ones they promised to serve—the children of the Beaumont Independent School District. That is completely unacceptable,” said Neil Sanchez, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Southwest Regional Office. “OIG special agents will continue to aggressively pursue those who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of our nation’s students. America’s students, their families, and taxpayers deserve nothing less.”

The defendants each face up to 10 years in federal prison.

This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher T. Tortorice and Joseph R. Batte.

A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.