Shocker: Grand jury indicts Dekalb ex-Superintendent Crawford Lewis on six counts
Updated at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday
A DeKalb grand jury just indicted former Superintendent Crawford Lewis over irregularities in the state’s third-largest school system’s massive construction program. Indictments were also handed down on Pat Reid, who oversaw construction for the county until she fell from grace from alleged conflicts of interest and sweetheart deals to companies with which her then-husband had ties.
A DeKalb grand jury indicted former school Superintendent Crawford Lewis today on six counts
While Lewis did not have a strong vision for DeKalb’s changing school landscape, I did not expect a six-count indictment. A 33-year veteran of the DeKalb district, Lewis has yet to have his day in court, but I am stunned to see him indicted for racketeering (RICO) charges, theft by a government employee and bribery.
After reading the indictments, it seems to me that Lewis is alleged to have risked his career and his reputation for fairly modest gains, including Masters tickets and free hotel rooms.
According to the breaking news story now in the AJC:
Lewis was indicted on racketeering and other charges, school board Chairman Tom Bowen told the AJC. Former schools chief operating officer Patricia Reid, also known as Pat Pope, was also indicted, along with Reid’s secretary and Reid’s former husband Tony Pope, Bowen said.
District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming announced the indictments at 4:30 p.m.
Lewis faces six counts: four racketeering (RICO) charges , theft by a government employee and bribery.
Patricia Reid faces seven counts: four racketeering charges, theft by a government employee, bribery, false public document
Tony Pope and secretary Cointa Moody each face four RICO counts.
Lewis did not immediately respond to a voicemail left at his home.
Tony Pope’s attorney Calvin Leipold also could not be reached for comment at his law office.
Pat Reid did not immediately return a message left on her cell phone Wednesday afternoon.
Here are the charges:
- Four counts of violating the racketeer influenced and corruption act against Lewis, Reid, Pope and Moody.
- One count of theft by a government employee against Lewis and Reid.
- One count of bribery against Lewis and Reid.
- One count of falsifying public documents against Reid.
Lewis, 56, faces a maximum of 105 years in prison. Reid, also 52, faces up to 115 years in prison, investigators said.
Lewis did not return a message left at his home. His attorney denied the accusations.
“We are disappointed that the district attorney has brought these charges. They are wrong,” attorney Mike Brown told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Dr. Lewis has not committed any crimes. And we are going to fight really, really hard to prove that.”
According to investigators, the scheme had begun in 2006 and involved the three school officials concealing information from the school board, altering documents and giving work to Pope’s architectural firm.
“All of the parties used their positions and the resources of school system to facilitate theft, fraud and obstruction, whether for personal gain or for the benefit of others,” Fleming said. “The money received by Tony Pope was then funneled to Pat Pope.”
Lewis, who was terminated last month, hired Reid as chief operating officer in October 2005 to run the school district’s multi-million-dollar school construction program. At the time, Reid and Pope were still married
When she was hired, the couple was told he could complete one on-going school construction contract but could not work on any additional school projects, Fleming said.
But Lewis and Reid ignored that stipulation, the indictment alleges. The two, along with secretary Moody, 48, conspired to get Pope contracts. This was accomplished by issuing illegal change orders, altering construction projects and leaking information to Pope, all behind the school board’s back, Fleming said.
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219 comments Add your comment
concerned
May 27th, 2010
11:20 am
How did the secretary make $43,000.00 overtime. Crawford Lewis issued a policy that no hourly employee could work overtime, we had to work 8 hours.
Where was payroll when she submitted her time? Where was Marcus Turk when he gave his financial reports? with this and the rather large checks made out to Tony Pope and others?
Did he not see a red flag? What about the people who was fired for not following board policies and now did Crawford Lewis, Pat Pope or c. Moody following board policies they are still on staff?
By the way Mr. Bowen is a cpa, why did he not catch this? Do the BOE get copies of the financial reports? How many of the board of education friends with Jay Cunningham, Sarah Copeland Wood, Z Roberts????
The Aristocrat
May 27th, 2010
11:30 am
Corruption in DeKalb County?!?!
Honesty
May 27th, 2010
11:31 am
Murders, School Board crooks….what a Third World County.
Honesty
May 27th, 2010
11:35 am
DeKalb County, Clayton County….why don’t they just combine with parts of Fulton, and change the name to Crooks County.
SallyB
May 27th, 2010
11:51 am
@SallyB
Thanks for that overtime info. Not a surprise.
I left DCSS in 2005 after being there in several different positions for 32 years. Both of my children attended Dekalb schools when it was an excellent system and both received superior instruction…so much so that both remarked that their freshman college courses were less rigorous than some of their high school courses.
I watched the DCSS decline from my classroom. Thanks to that N. Decatur Road crowd, my last year was truly a fiasco, so much so that, even though I loved teaching and thought I would never leave, I had to go.
I still see and talk to many of my former colleagues and it’s just so sad to see such a dedicated group of teachers so thoroughly disheartened and counting the days until they can leave.
Shocker? That's hilarious.
May 27th, 2010
12:05 pm
Corruption in Dekalb County actually surprised you? C’mon. Can anyone offer any reasonable explanation as to why so many embarrassing (to Dekalb residents) situations/events continue to occur year after year in this county? Fmr sheriff puts hit on the person who defeated him, police chief fired for incompetence, fire chief fired for incompetence, rampant corruption and apparently just the tip of the iceberg with those appointed by the BOE, a fmr CEO who literally thought while employed by the county (and still thinks today) he is some type of monarch – accused of various sexual exploits and likely the worst crony/nepotist of all yet somehow has managed to stay out of jail, appointees of fired police chiefs now under Federal indictment for bribery, the list goes on and on and on. And this is just what we know about — what was actually caught by the DA. Hopefully those surprised by this most recent garbage aren’t naive enough to think the scandals that have been exposed are the only ones going on. Criminy, isn’t the current CEO under 24 hr police protection because he stood up to the incompetant cronies who are supposedly in charge?? It’s sad. It’s embarrassing. But this story won’t be the last. It won’t be long before another awful scandal is brought to light that will make the taxpayers of this county just shake their head, not in disbelief that another scandal happened, but in disbelief that a govt. in the 21st century in the largest city in the state of Georgia and the 10th largest metro area in the country can be operated by such utter morons.
Shocker? That's hilarious.
May 27th, 2010
12:11 pm
Corruption in Dekalb County actually surprised you? C’mon. Can anyone offer any reasonable explanation as to why so many embarrassing (to Dekalb residents) situations/events continue to occur year after year in this county? Fmr sheriff puts hit on the person who defeated him, police chief fired for incompetence, fire chief fired for incompetence, rampant corruption and apparently just the tip of the iceberg with those appointed by the BOE, a fmr CEO who literally thought while employed by the county (and still thinks today) he is some type of monarch – accused of various sexual exploits and likely the worst nepotist of all yet somehow has managed to stay out of jail, appointees of fired police chiefs now under Federal indictment for bribery, the list goes on and on and on. And this is just what we know about — what was actually caught by the DA. Hopefully those surprised by this most recent garbage aren’t naive enough to think the scandals that have been exposed are the only ones going on. Criminy, isn’t the current CEO under 24 hr police protection because he stood up to the incompetant cronies who are supposedly in charge?? It’s sad. It’s embarrassing. But this story won’t be the last. It won’t be long before another awful scandal is brought to light that will make the taxpayers of this county just shake their head, not in disbelief that another scandal happened, but in disbelief that a govt. in the 21st century in the largest city in the state of Georgia and the 10th largest metro area in the country can be operated by such utter morons.
Atlanta Media Guy
May 27th, 2010
12:33 pm
Tom Bowen’s presser this morning was a joke! It’s time for an independent investigation of the entire Central Office. I know we did this only 5 years ago, but we need an independent investigator to come in and go over every book, hire, employee etc.. Especially those employees that make over 90K.
It’s time for this to end and if we don’t demand resignations the BOE along with Ms. Tyson will continue the reign of terror that CLew brought our school system. Folks if I was Tom I would have been strong and said the BOE are in discussions to begin an internal investigation by an independent investigator. That would have quelled some of the anger coming from taxpayers this morning. Inst… blah blah blah……
Momof2
May 27th, 2010
12:34 pm
I have not had a chance to contact the Dekalb board members yet today but I will be actively campaigning AGAINST any who resists the suggestion that cleaning house isn’t a priority or doesn’t follow through on it.
Understanding Atlanta
May 27th, 2010
12:52 pm
Momof2 – In reality you should be actively campaigning against most of the current board members. I would let them balance my checkbook more over allow them to run a school system.
Board Member Walker asked “Who is qualified to decide who can serve on a school board?” with eduKalb is recommending candidates. It’s seems they can’t stand someone asking the tough questions about what makes you a good BOE member. I’m happy the business community is stepping up because parents sure haven’t (at least not in large numbers) to demand COMPOTENT, EDUCATED, DEDICATED, AND COMMITTED
Understanding Atlanta
May 27th, 2010
1:02 pm
board members. If you were able to justify decisions with facts, studies, and projections why would you object to someone looking at your record.
I say there is a need to vet candidates for the local school board and allow citizens to see what the community thinks. The one’s the cry the loudest are the ones that know they’d be out the door. But if the current trend continues, the one’s that need to leave will be pushed out by more qualified (yes as a voter I decide who’s qualified) individuals. Maybe board members bring a wealth of knowledge that gets tainted mainly by the zealots who scream “If anything happens in S. DeKalb you don’t care about the black children” disregarding the obvious and wanting to hide the 800 lb gorilla
1motherlesschild
May 27th, 2010
1:14 pm
“What is done in the dark will surely come to light.” This has nothing to do with color or race, just CHARACTER. Remember, there is only one race, THE HUMAN RACE! Unfortunately DCSS is ruined. I would rather retire broke than be enslaved by those incompetent boobs. Thanks for running me off DCSS.
Dekalb voter
May 27th, 2010
1:21 pm
I wonder if any of these people got these jobs because they were African-American?
Spikepine
May 27th, 2010
1:44 pm
When are black people going to learn that they can not commit the same crimes as white people and get away with it. White people have been doing these sorts of things for years and have never been indicted or served jail time.
Spikepine
May 27th, 2010
1:47 pm
Dekalb voter, do all white people get their jobs because they are white? These people have credentials and obviously were qualified for the positions. Just because they assumed they could commit the crimes that you people call “white collar”, and get away with it, does not mean they were hired because of their skin color.
Private School Guy
May 27th, 2010
1:49 pm
There is far too much money involved in the operation of a school system for it to be run by who ever happens to win an election. Especially an election that can be swung by one church or one professional organization. We need appointed board members who have had extensive and successful experience in making decisions involving hundreds of millions of tax dollars.
MOBFIGURE
May 27th, 2010
1:52 pm
It is apparent that Crawford Lewis was engaged in egregious and illegal conduct based on the plethora of charges listed in the criminal indictment. Crawford Lewis, Pat Pope, Tony Pope and Conita Moody were the master minds behind this mafia scheme to defraud taxpayers. There are other individuals that are involved who have not been detected. I think it is important to understand that no legal decision is made in the Dekalb County School District without the knowledge and authorization of Ronald Ramsey. Ronald Ramsey’s office determines what documents are disclosed to other legal entities. All legal documents such as subpoenas, open records requests, etc. are reviewed by his department. Ronald Ramsey should be investigated for obstruction. In Summary, Crawford Lewis should spend the rest of his life in prison. He has committed so many unethical acts during his tenure as a Dekalb County employee he deserves everything he gets! He has singlehandedly attempted to destroy many careers because he had the power to do so. It is funny when the grim reaper finally knocks on his door for retribution. Crawford Lewis has openly cheated on his wife, he has hired incompetent principals, incompentent Assistant Supertendents (Little man Ralph Simpson) and he has spent $15 million defending a lawsuit against Henry Mitchell Construction. What a PREMIER legacy. The corruption in the Dekalb County School District also extends to board members who illegally use their positions to illegally profit from their relationship with the School District. Jay Cunningham is being investigated for providing food services to several of the high schools at a premium rate. Tom Bowens is aware of this and Crawford Lewis is aware of this illegal relationship but no one has said a word. The corruption in the Dekalb County School District will continue until the School District hires a Superintendent with integrity and ethics.
Spikepine
May 27th, 2010
2:02 pm
There are many people who are committing crimes; these just got caught.
Spikepine
May 27th, 2010
2:03 pm
Money is not worth losing your freedom and everything you have worked for. People are so greedy and stupid.
Dekalb voter
May 27th, 2010
2:11 pm
Just was pointing out how great Affirmative Action is working. We are getting African-Americans the good paying jobs. Now they just need to learn to be happy with what they get paid. Corruption is color blind.
jg
May 27th, 2010
2:15 pm
Well said MOBFIGURE – how is it that most parents and teachers in the county were well aware of this nonsense YEARS ago? Crawford Lewis brought in horrible people and Lakeside was almost destroyed because of his stupid decisions. We are one step away of becoming a Clayton County.
THIS IS A FACT
May 27th, 2010
2:27 pm
Enter your comments here
wow
May 27th, 2010
2:51 pm
@mobfigure I almost threw up in my mouth when you said CLew cheated on his wife! Wow! I wonder who would sleep with him. He is not handsome or articulate by any means. I like a man with power and money but he has to be fine like Blair Underwood or Barack
Observer
May 27th, 2010
3:09 pm
I’m sick of the long history of corruption in Dekalb County, Atlanta and the state of Georgia. The people below have each had a hand in running our city/county/state into the ground. I know this isn’t everyone (please feel free to add more), but PLEASE keep these names in mind and PLEASE do not ever vote them into any public office, or allow them to otherwise profit from the hard-earned dollars of the tax-paying citizens again! LIFE in prison with no parole for those that abuse their elected position and tax-payers money for their own benefit.
Vernon Jones
Bill Campbell
Sonny Perdue
Terrell Bolton
Sidney Dorsey (former Dekalb Co. sheriff)
Sherry Dorsey (wife of above and former Atl. City council member)
Pat Swindall
MOBFIGURE
May 27th, 2010
3:11 pm
TO WOW:
Crawford Lewis had unfettered access to women because of his status. Many women slept with him in order to post it on their facebook page that they were having a forbidden relationship with a married man.
South-End Mom
May 27th, 2010
3:52 pm
OMG YUCK!!!!!
no mas
May 27th, 2010
4:20 pm
As I see it, any Board of Ed member who argued against the $$ limits on gifts and meals in the Board Ethics policy – you know who you are – is right down there ethically with these four. There is no difference morally between accepting Masters’ tickets and accepting a $100 meal from a vendor. There is no difference morally between fixing a contract so your husband and you are paid $400,000 and refusing to speak at a community gathering unless they feed you and pay you.
Show Me
May 27th, 2010
5:17 pm
Gwinnett is the new Dekalb!
jsmith
May 27th, 2010
5:26 pm
What a shocker !! not only are the people who run dekalb ,and fulton and clayton county all unqualified for these jobs , they are all stupid crooks
brenda
May 27th, 2010
5:39 pm
Over a year ago these same miscreants attempted a secret seizure of residential property in our historically designated family neighborhood to raze a home and put in high school parking and a tennis court We found out just in time, and they claimed to know nothing about it, until the truth came out. I have little doubt that Tony Pope already had the contract for the work in his pocket.
I think the indictment is just the tip of the iceberg. Gwen Keyes Fleming, you have my vote!
SallyB
May 27th, 2010
6:30 pm
@brenda…
TIP OF THE ICEBERG ???? not to belabor the point, but those county office people are going to be tripping all over each other to get to the D.A. with whatever info they have to try to save their own a——-s.
That N.Decatur Rd. bunch of cretins have steamrollered the entire system….one which was so proud and so reputable in years past. Not that there weren’t always issues with them…even in the Hallford, Cherry, Freeman days, but never such total incompetents as populate that county office now. G-d help us all.
SallyB
May 27th, 2010
6:31 pm
So…why does the Monster filter seem so partial to my posts????
catlady
May 27th, 2010
7:10 pm
So Pope and Reid think their bail is too high? Think of all the money they have made off the school system (assuming it was legal) and they think it is too high? Puhhlessze.
VeronicaDekalbTeacher
May 27th, 2010
7:28 pm
As a teacher with the Dekalb schools I find it appalling that I and many other teachers work so hard to teach children, many of whom don’t want to learn, but we get no overtime. Not only don’t we get overtime, we have increasing amounts of preparation and paperwork to complete in short periods of time. My planning period is usually taken up with meetings so I HAVE to work overtime to do an adequate job.
I am disgusted about the following: “How did the secretary make $43,000.00 overtime? Crawford Lewis issued a policy that no hourly employee could work overtime….” (Thanks “Concerned” for bringing this up.)
Surely when teachers are losing jobs because of budget shortfalls, this should have sent a huge red flag to the financial people in the county office.
It is evident to me that crawford didn’t care about the children, teachers, or any aspect of education. By the way, to those who said clew wasn’t smart enough to do the things he was indicted for, remember to you don’t have to be brilliant to be greedy, selfish, and power hungry. Remember the Jaheem Herrerra bullying case? I understand that clew paid a retired judge about $300,000 to say there was no bullying at the school. Hmm….. makes you wonder.
Angela
May 27th, 2010
7:35 pm
Okay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can I now just get my correct salary back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This pay cut is hurting me in a big way. We that were in year-around schools had to take either A/B meaning our salaries would be cut throughout the school year or take half pay during the summer. Therefore, my pay has been cut the entire school year and now will be cut even more in the up coming school year.
I am sure that my raise and pay cut was rapped up in all of those millions that Crawfrod and Pat were using for their own gain and profit.
Shocker: Grand jury indicts Dekalb ex-Superintendent Crawford Lewis on six counts – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | AEC Media
May 27th, 2010
7:37 pm
[...] Link: Shocker: Grand jury indicts Dekalb ex-Superintendent Crawford Lewis on six counts – Atlanta Jo… [...]
THIS IS A FACT
May 27th, 2010
8:47 pm
Don’t kid yourself. Dekalb School Board Members are well aware and has always had full knowledge of Lewis’ actions because they pulled his strings. They are the puppeters… Now their plan is too distance themselves as far as possible from Lewis. I’d say Bowen is a great actor and an even better liar.
Angela
May 27th, 2010
9:09 pm
Hey,
Can I just get my correct pay??????????????????????????? He should go down, they all should go down. Here I am my pay check is short because of them and I am strongly feeling it in my finances .
Dr. John Trotter
May 27th, 2010
9:16 pm
Hey Mark Elgart, I guess that the DeKalb County School System and the Atlanta Public Schools are getting along most swimmingly. They are upholding SACS’s sterling and hypocritical standards, eh? Mark, you and your money-grabbing SACS are phonies. Wait! Call Ericka Davis! You may want you to sic somebody whom she detests or is afraid of. You think? What say ye?
Angela
May 27th, 2010
9:18 pm
@This is a Fact,
Can you send your information to the correct people to get to the bottom of it all-PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TeachParent
May 27th, 2010
9:33 pm
As DCSS educators we have been threatened with our jobs if we speak out about this. I say it’s time to STAND UP, not sit down and take it. We are not the ones allegedly committing fraud, etc. We show up each morning to get our rooms ready, greet each child, use a variety of teaching methods to teach to each individual learning style, gobble our lunch in 15 minutes, clean up our room at the end of the day, then take papers and projects home to grade each night until almost midnight. There are no nights at the Ritz-Carlton, trips to the Bahamas, or “bonuses” for running errands. It’s time we stopped taking this and made it known we are no longer willing to carry this load on our shoulders. I am sick and tired of being threatened. Pat Pope is still drawing a salary!!! Threaten her!!!
Hurricane
May 27th, 2010
9:34 pm
After the turn of events of the last couple of days, not only should the ones indicted do some serious jail time, the ENTIRE school board should step down.
We the residents and voters of DeKalb have no one to blame but ourselves. We’re the ones that elected all of these idiots. We need to vote each and every incumbent in every single office out and elect some competent folks for a change.
Angela
May 27th, 2010
9:46 pm
@Maureen
Maureen do you have another e-address or could you e-mail me at apw_2539@yahoo.com
I have a question for you. Please do me that favor. Thanks, Angela
Trying to understand
May 27th, 2010
10:04 pm
If the public relations department was cut in it’s entirety, why wasn’t Philandrea Guillory?
Maureen Downey
May 27th, 2010
10:06 pm
@Angela. My e-mail is mdowney@ajc.com
@ Trying to understand
May 27th, 2010
10:09 pm
She’s Frances Edward’s daughter. There are many Guillory’s and Edward’s in DCSS who are Frances Edward’s relatives.
THIS IS A FACT
May 27th, 2010
10:09 pm
Okay Angela… Where do I send my pertinent info?
Trying to understand
May 27th, 2010
10:28 pm
I’m very aware of the relations factor. I’m trying to understand why, if Dekalb schools are trying to rid themselves of their deficit, all members of public relations were not separated from DCSS. Time is out for skinning and grinning. No one should be getting paid such a lucrative salary to merely perform that phony act!!!
Find an attorney » Blog Archive » DeKalb board: ‘This is not normal business’ – Atlanta Journal Constitution
May 27th, 2010
10:49 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Deputy Assistant Associate Administrative Clerk III
May 28th, 2010
6:54 am
I’m heading off to my $152,000 dollar school district job soon. Last day at this salary,though. Then my wife and I are flying to a private villa in France for the holiday.
It just bugs me why so many people are claiming they’re broke and destitute. I just don’t understand it. Recession? What recession.
I’m on cloud nine. I received a raise yesterday. Starting Tuesday, I will be Deputy Assistant Associate Administrative Clerk IV, and my salary will be $167,000. Let’s drink to my good fortune.
Still working on free gas in the contract. That just sucks. I deserve it.