MANSFIELD, La. (AP) - Former DeSoto Parish schools Superintendent Walter C. Lee’s legal troubles are far from being over.
District Attorney Richard Johnson tells The Times (https://bit.ly/1jtzGb4 ) he will contact the Legislative Auditor’s office to inquire if auditors would be available to go further back in school board records to check Lee’s spending habits.
“It just seems to me it just didn’t start recently,” said Johnson of Lee’s alleged double-billing. “Hopefully, they can do it. But if they can’t, then I’ll get a subpoena for the records.”
A DeSoto Parish grand jury in January indicted Lee, 79, of Shreveport, on two counts of felony theft and one count each public contract fraud and malfeasance in office. The charges stem from allegations outlined in an investigative audit report released in December by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s office and mirrors an investigation by The Times early last year on Lee’s spending and financial decision-making over the last three years of his contracted employment with the DeSoto Parish School Board.
Lee is accused of double-billing expenses to the school district and the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, of which he is an elected member, in addition to personally benefiting from the return of a leased vehicle and intentionally performing his duties as a superintendent in an unlawful manner.
He retired Nov. 2, 2012 from the school system but continues to serve on BESE. A felony conviction will require his resignation from BESE.
Johnson has heard recently from school board members concerning their thoughts on whether Lee should benefit or not from a plea arrangement. Johnson declined to discuss the nature of the talks, but verified at least one board member “wanted to let me know that he thought it was vitally important that this case be prosecuted.”
Plea discussions, said Johnson, are “so far apart right now. There’s no need for us to be talking about anything.”
A trial date is set next month, but Johnson said it will be postponed, given his decision to pursue additional records.
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Information from: The Times, https://www.shreveporttimes.com
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