Click Here

Ex-Director In Wake Schools Fraud Scheme Files Appeal

Vern Hatley 1/24/06 court appearance
The former director of the Wake County Public School System's transportation department is appealing a judge's decision that put him in prison for his alleged involvement in a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme.

Vern Hatley was sentenced in February to seven to 10 years after a Wake County Superior Court judge denied Hatley's request for a trial. He had pleaded guilty on Oct. 11, 2005, to charges of conspiracy and obtaining property by false pretense, but later filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea.

Hatley's attorney, Barry Nakell, filed paperwork on Monday with the North Carolina Court of Appeals asking that the court reverse Judge Donald Stephen's decision and allow Hatley to go to trial.

Under his plea deal, which was contingent on his cooperation in the fraud investigation, Hatley could have received five to six years in prison.

In February, Hatley testified that he accepted the plea deal to spare his family and the Wake County school system further embarrassment.

Hatley had admitted to accepting nearly $23,000 worth of items, including $11,000 in gift cards, from Wilson-based automotive suppliers Barnes Motors & Parts. He said, however, that his former budget analyst, Carol Finch, controlled and benefited from the criminal scheme without his knowledge.

Last week, a judge sentenced Finch to six to eight years in prison and ordered her to pay back more than $100,000 to the school system. Other former transportation department employees and former Barnes employees also received sentences ranging from 60 days to six years for their involvement.

A seventh defendant, Harold Estes, who is the husband of a Barnes employee, was found guilty last month and sentenced to 11 to 15 years in prison. He was the only suspect to initially not plead guilty.


0 Comments


Golo

Welcome to GOLO, where WRAL.com visitors can comment on stories and create profile pages, blogs and photo galleries.

You must be a registered WRAL.com user to use these tools. Click here to register or log in.

View Comments View Comments

Photo Spotlight
0
1
2
3
4
5
[+] more photos | submit your photos
Report It
Send us your news photos, videos, tips and story ideas.
Submit Videos Submit Photos Submit Reports
  1. 2009christmasparade
    Bands, marchers in holiday parade

    Choose your group to watch their performance in the 2009 WRAL-TV Raleigh Christmas Parade.

  2. 2009christmasparade26
    Web only: Complete 2009 WRAL-TV Raleigh Christmas Parade

    Watch the parade in its entirety from the comfort of your computer any time.

  3. taxes
    Search for missing IRS refunds

    The Internal Revenue Service released the names this week of more than 100,000 taxpayers who have not received their 2009 income tax refund.

  4. County Unemployment Rates
    North Carolina unemployment rates

    View an interactive map with county unemployment numbers.

  5. Drought Map
    A year of N.C. Drought Maps

    View a time lapse animation of drought conditions during the last year.

Click Here