MADISON, W.Va. — Two Boone County men who ran the Boone County School Bus Garage pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of embezzlement.
Transportation Director Bryan Jarrell and mechanic Tracy Harvey entered the pleas before a circuit judge.
The pair was charged after state police discovered evidence of a scheme. The pair, according to investigators, would order personal items through the bus garage and bill the school system for the cost.
“Tracy Harvey was responsible for the purchasing of supplies for the bus garage would make an order of a personal nature with one of the vendors of the school system,” said Boone County Prosecutor Keith Randolph. “That purchase would be billed back to the school system and make its way to Bryan Jarrell who was the transportation director. He would sign off on it and forward it back to the school.”
Randolph said the scheme was effective because Jarrell was the person who was supposed to be responsible for this not happening.
“As a transportation director, it was his duty to review each invoice and ensure they were accurate before sending them on for payment,” said Randolph.
State police believe the pair was responsible for tens of thousands of dollars in purchases over the course of a two-year period.
As part of the plea, the two will have to pay restitution to the Boone County School System although the amount is yet to be determined. Each will face 1-10 years in prison when they are sentenced in October.
The scheme came to light in March when a member of the Boone County School Board learned of questionable activity at the bus garage and filed a complaint with the state police. Troopers investigated and said the two worked closely to steal thousands of dollars worth of equipment paid for by school system funds.
Charges against additional school personnel aren’t anticipated, authorities said.