Former superintendent Williams shorts Riverview schools of first restitution payment
Former superintendent Henry Williams has already skipped his first full restitution payment to Riverview Gardens, the school district from which he stole more than $100,000.
Williams, 67, was driven out of the troubled district almost two years ago after being accused of funneling school money into a personal life insurance fund, understating his income and double-dipping on district travel reimbursement. In January, Circuit Judge Maura B. McShane sentenced Williams to 10 years in prison, then immediately suspended the sentence, reducing the penalty to five years probation plus 30 days shock time, despite Williams’ 20-day-a-month gambling habit.
But there was a catch: Williams, the judge said, had to pay $102,724.87 in restitution to the district — about $1,700 a month — or risk doing all 10 years.
Williams just finished the 30 days at the start of this month.
His first restitution payment was due February 17. But Bart Calhoun, a county prosecutor, said today that Williams sent the county only $800 of the $1,700 he owed.
So Calhoun filed a motion with the court to revoke Williams’ probation.
Calhoun has not yet heard back from judge McShane. But if McShane agrees that Williams has violated his probation, he could got back to jail, or even end up in prison.
Calhoun was neither surprised nor happy.
“Look, the court ordered him to pay a certain amount every month, and he failed to do that,” Calhoun said.
So far, he said, Williams has paid about $6,800 in restitution to Riverview.
(St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCullough was irritated, too. Go HERE for his take on it.)
The Grade is the St. Louis region’s premier blog on education and child welfare. To read other recent posts, go to www.stltoday.com/thegrade.
It probably slipped his mind. I am sure he had more important things on his agenda like slot machines or crap tables, cut the guy some slack.
the man stole from children, he should have done the 10 years to begin with!
He is an unrehabilitated gambler. Review Gardens will never see the money wether he goes to prison or not.
Nothing Williams does or doesn’t do should not surprise us. He should have been given prison time to begin with. If the judge or the public thinks that Williams has any intention of paying back Riverview Gardens, then they are seriously deluding themselves. Williams was given a “gift” when he got a suspended sentence and ordered to pay restitution. I agree that Williams’ probabtion has been violated since he didn’t make good on his scheduled first payment and he should be immediately sent to jail, otherwise he may just skip town (if he hasn’t already).
The judge went easy on him the first time and he already screwed up. Wake up and revoke his probation already. Give this pos the hard time he deserves. Judge McShane should revoke Williams’ probation immediately and have him hauled in.
Restitution is a joke. I seriously doubt this guy, or any other embezzler, put all that money in a savings account so they can pay it back later. They spend it like crazy, even if it’s on “legitimate” items such as bills. Plus, this guy was in jail for 30 days. I doubt he was making much, if any money, in there. Put him in jail from the get go and kiss the money good-bye.
Please don’t buy this sorry story about losing the money gambling. It’s just another feeble attempt by this loser to place blame on something other than his own pathetic character.
Did anyone really think that he was going to pay the restitution? The man should be in prison.
Why they like to do probation is because while on probation they can force them to pay restitution. Once they do the time in prison, restitution is out of the question. If the school district goes after him civilly, he can simply declare bankruptcy and never have to pay it back.
Much better to try to get SOME of the funds back then none at all.
I think I need to accuse all of you that are complaining of BEING AS RACIST AS HELL! Isn’t that the procedure when it involves a black man?