State Auditor Announces Sentencing Of Former Greenville Public Schools Superintendent

November 14, 2013

JACKSON- State Auditor Stacey Pickering announced today that former Greenville Public Schools Superintendent Harvey Franklin has been sentenced for accepting bribes from a school contractor.

He was sentenced to 76 months each on two counts and 60 months on a third count. They will be served concurrently. Franklin was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $1,201,247, with $75,000 due immediately. He will also perform 300 hours of community service.

Last year, Franklin pled guilty to a three count information including conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, accepting bribes and kickbacks from Edna Goble, a contractor with the Greenville Public School District, and embezzlement. 

Franklin was found to have conspired with Goble, who was a former colleague of Franklin’s in Georgia and owner of Teach Them To Read. Franklin entered into contracts on behalf of Greenville Public Schools, and paid Goble’s company approximately $1.4 million. Goble made payments to numerous creditors on Franklin’s behalf, which included paying off Franklin’s automobile loan, remodeling and improvements for his home, paying off his personal credit card, and paying for the college tuition of Franklin’s children.

“As a superintendent of education, Mr. Franklin enriched himself while stealing from the children of the Greenville Public School District and the taxpayers,” State Auditor Stacey Pickering said. “I appreciate the hard work and cooperation of our Special Agents, the United States Department of Education, Office of the Inspector General, and the Northern District of the United States Attorney’s Office. I am glad that Mr. Franklin is being held responsible for his actions.”

This case was investigated by the State Auditor’s Office, with assistance from the United States Department of Education, Office of the Inspector General and the Mississippi Department of Education.

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