Former DPS principal pleads guilty in federal corruption probe

Clara Smith scheduled to be sentenced in September

DETROIT – One of the 13 former Detroit Public Schools principals who are accused of taking kickbacks from a contractor has pleaded guilty and could be sentenced to at least three years in prison.

Clara Smith's plea was accepted Thursday in federal court. She is scheduled to be sentenced in September, and could get 46 to 57 months in prison.

Smith was the principal of Thirkell Elementary-Middle School from 2008-2016. She and other principals are accused of scheming with district vendor Norman Shy.

Federal investigators said that because of the scheme, the district paid thousands of dollars for auditorium chairs, supplemental teaching material, raised line paper and other classroom supplies that either never arrived or came in smaller quantities than ordered.

The probe evolved from a state audit of finances in a spin-off district of 15 low-performing Detroit schools. That led to the arrest of Kenyetta Wilbourn-Snapp, a principal at two high schools who was charged late last year with taking bribes to hire a company to perform tutoring services.

From there, federal investigators eventually found enough evidence to charge more administrators.

Read: DPS principals line up for guilty pleas in corruption probe

The U.S. Attorney's office says Spain Elementary-Middle School principal Ronald Alexander received about $23,000 in kickbacks from May 2009 through June 2014. Alexander filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2011.

Shy's company gave Smith a total of $194,000, including $18,000 in personal credit card and bill payments and checks to relatives and friends in 2011. She received Sam's Club gift cards, cash and checks made payable to family members and friends. On or about March 10, 2010, one kickback was in the form of a $5,000 personal credit card payment. On Dec. 12, 2012 she received $4,000 in Walmart gift cards, prosecutors say.

James Hearn, Nina Graves-Hicks, Ron Alexander, Gerlma Johnson, Wyllie Pearsall, Ronnie Sims, Tanya Bowman, Clara Flowers, Norman Shy, Tia'von Moore Patton, Beverly Campbell and Stan Johnson also have plea dates scheduled.

View all of the federal complaints here: