CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Former Logan County School Superintendent Phyllis Doty was convicted Friday on eight federal criminal counts following a week long trial.
The jury hearing the case in U.S. District Court in Charleston found Doty, 68, guilty of mail fraud, four counts of wire fraud and two counts of theft from a program receiving federal funds and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Beginning in September 2011, Doty purchased $12,000 in iPods and iPads with school system money and sold them or gave them to family members. At least 20 devices were stolen, federal prosecutors said.
The jury also found Doty used $6,500 in school system money to purchase items to be used as decorations for her son’s wedding including bread baskets, easels, drink dispensers, columns, and decorative urns. She told the purchasing director the items were wanted by the band director at Chapmanville Middle School.
Doty picked the items up from the school in July 2015 and they were used in the wedding. She later tried to cover up the purchase.
U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart celebrated the verdict.
“We’ve placed an intense priority on public corruption. Violations of the public trust by public officials, a position of trusted authority, is a true cancer to society,” he said. “Standing in defiance of public corruption is a fundamental priority for this United States Attorney and the United States of America.”
Doty, who retired from the school system, faces up to 122 years in prison at her sentencing.