Former Pontiac Schools Executive Pleads Guilty to Defrauding a School District Receiving Federal Funding

The former head associate superintendent for Organizational Development and Human Resources for Pontiac Public Schools pleaded guilty today to charges of unlawful conversion of school district funds, United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today.

McQuade was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Robert Foley, III, Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Jumanne Sledge, 41, entered the guilty plea before United States District Court Judge Denise Page Hood.

Information presented to the court at the time of the plea established that on or about February 2, 2010, Sledge, without lawful authority, directed a subordinate at the Pontiac Public Schools to issue to him a check in the amount of $236,000 payable to “Leadership Academy,” an entity controlled solely by Defendant Sledge. Sledge later provided a false and fraudulent invoice in the amount of $236,000. Sledge then later converted those funds to his own personal use.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Sledge faces up to 30 months’ imprisonment. Although the agreement contains no specific amount of restitution, Sledge could be ordered to pay $236,000 in restitution. Sledge also did not contest forfeiture of his Jaguar automobile and approximately $34,000 in cash seized from his bank account.

“Violations of the public trust are serious crimes, but stealing money intended for school children is even more egregious,” said United States Attorney McQuade. “We hope that prosecutions like this one will deter officials from breaching their duties to the public.”

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Michael Buckley and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Education, Office of Inspector General.