by Ron Gregory
ronjgregory@gmail.com
CHARLESTON – Southern District U.S. Attorney scheduled an afternoon press conference to discuss the indictment of former Logan County Schools Superintendent Phyllis Doty. The ex-superintendent was charged in a five-count indictment released Thursday morning.
The indictment charges that Doty committed wire fraud, theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and mail fraud. The bulk of the allegations involve the purchase of various items for personal use, including decorations for her son’s wedding.
Rumors had spread in Logan County for some years concerning Doty and questionable school board expenditures.
Doty served as Logan’s Curriculum Director from July 1998 to June 2013; and as superintendent from June 2013 to July 2016, when she resigned.
The indictment alleges that Doty began a “scheme” to defraud the board “no later than September 14, 2011 and continuing through on or about February 8, 2017.”
The charges continue, “it was a purpose and object of the scheme for Doty to enrich herself and her family members by embezzling and misappropriating funds from the Logan County Board of Education, in that she purchased or directed the purchase of various items for personal use.”
The items included electronic devices, such as Apple iPods and iPads; and decorations, supplies and other miscellaneous items for her son’s wedding.
“Beginning in approximately September 2011 … Doty began to steal Apple devices, including iPods and iPads, that had been purchased by” the Logan board, the complaint alleges. “Doty took these devices to sell and to give to her family members.”
The indictment says that the board ordered more than 350 iPods and iPads from 2011 through 2013, with Doty stealing at least 20 of them. Some of these devices, the complaint says, were sold under the eBay account “jack1545,” which belonged to a close relative of the then-superintendent.
Examples of what the government says were fraudulent deals are itemized in count one of the indictment.
Other claims against Doty include allegations that she manipulated county employees and records to hide the purchase of decorations for her son’s wedding, which took place on August 8, 2015.
The indictment says Doty requisitioned decorations in February 2015 and tried to cover her tracks in using the items at her son’s wedding. She personally picked the items up from the Ralph Willis Vocational School after they were shipped there, the complaint maintains.
Doty further acquired items from another company for her son’s wedding using board funds, the indictment says. That order was shipped to Chapmanville Middle School.
In the past, Doty has consistently denied similar allegations. Stuart emphasized that an indictment is a statement of charges. Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless they are convicted.