During his nearly five years heading the tiny Centinela Valley Union High School District, prosecutors say, Jose A. Fernandez devised policies to dramatically pad his salary and retirement benefits. He kept the school board in the dark, prosecutors say, covering his actions with lies and misrepresentations. Now, Fernandez, 57, is facing a dozen public corruption charges and up to 15 years in state prison. Fernandez served as superintendent of the school district from 2009 until he was fired in 2014. In December 2010, prosecutors say, he overwhelmed the school board when he asked its members to consider revisions to 3,000 bylaws and policies.

Source: Los Angeles Times August 31, 2017 03:35 UTC