Ex-School Superintendent Facing Prison

TULSA (CN) - A former Tulsa-area school superintendent and a businessman pleaded guilty Friday to a bribery scheme that involved purchase of school supplies at 400 percent over fair market value, federal prosecutors said.

Gary L. Johnson, former superintendent of the Skiatook Public School System, and Rickey L. Enos, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging them with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to corruptly solicit, accept, give and offer things of value.

Prosecutors said Enos "profited substantially through the overbilling of the Skiatook School District for basic supplies, equipment and services." They said he submitted invoices at prices inflated as much as 400 percent above the fair market value to Johnson, who approved the payments.

"In exchange, Johnson corruptly solicited and accepted from Enos things of value, including cash, tickets to college football games, and costs associated with travel, food, lodging and entertainment," prosecutors said in a statement.

"In order to conceal their corrupt agreement from others, the defendants used code words. They communicated using the code word 'cabinet' to refer to corrupt cash payments of $100, and the words 'large cabinet' to refer to cash payments of $1,000."

The gifts included tickets to the 2005 Orange Bowl in Miami, where Johnson watched the University of Oklahoma Sooners play, according to the information.

In 2007, Enos began buying Sooner home football game tickets for Johnson, then upgraded them to include box suites.

Both men failed to include cash kickbacks on Johnson's 2008 federal income tax return, which was prepared by Enos.

Johnson and Enos each face up to 5 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. They will be sentenced on Feb. 7, 2013.

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Email *

Submit