[StBernard] REVISED TWO FORMER ORLEANS PARISH SCHOOL BOARD EMPLOYEES SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON

[Westley Annis]

REVISED TWO FORMER ORLEANS PARISH SCHOOL BOARD 
EMPLOYEES SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA -DRENA CLAY, age 42, a resident of New Orleans,
Louisiana, and DEBRA HARRISON, age 46, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana
were sentenced to thirty (30) months imprisonment and forty-one (41) months
imprisonment respectively, by U. S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval, Jr.
today. CLAY and HARRISON had been convicted after a seven day jury trial of
conspiracy to commit extortion, extortion, conspiracy to commit program
fraud and program fraud. HARRISON was also convicted of lying to the FBI on
two occasions. Another defendant convicted of lying to the FBI in the trial,
Walter Tardy, age 41, is scheduled for sentencing on April 16, 2008.

These convictions are a part of the wide ranging Orleans Parish School Board
corruption probe which has netted twenty-seven convictions, including former
School Board President, Ellenese Brooks-Simms and insurance broker Lillian
Smith-Haydel.

This matter arose from an investigation into fraudulently inflated class
coverage hours at Fannie C. Williams Middle School in Eastern New Orleans.
HARRISON, the school secretary was in charge of the system by which classes
of absent teachers were covered by other teachers present that day, during
their free period. However, the jury found that the system was corrupted by
Harrison and Clay by demanding kickbacks from teachers to falsely inflate
the class coverage hours.

Two other defendants, John Baker, age 47 and Trynitha Fulton, age 30, pled
guilty as charged and testified in the October jury trial. Baker and Fulton
are set for sentencing on June 11, 2008.

HARRISON, who faced a statutory maximum of 55 years, and whose United States
sentencing guideline range was 41 - 51 months, not only was sentenced to 41
months but also was ordered to pay a proportional share of $32,750.00 in
restitution to the Orleans Parish School Board, and three years supervised
release after her release from jail.

CLAY, who faced a statutory maximum of 55 years, and whose United States
sentencing guideline range was 30-37 months, not only was sentenced to 30
months but also was ordered to pay a proportional share of $32,750.00 in
restitution to the Orleans Parish School Board, as well as three years
supervised release.

The Orleans Parish School Systems investigation was a joint investigative
effort of the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigations Division, and the Department
of Education Office of the Inspector General. This case prosecuted by
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carter K. D. Guice, Jr., Daniel Friel and Richard
Rose, of the District of Rhode Island.