October 12, 2005

DILLON ANNOUNCES:

MINEOLA SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR PLEADS GUILTY TO TOP COUNT

Nassau County District Attorney Denis Dillon announced today that John Jackson, former Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations for the Mineola Union Free School District (MUFSD), 45, 68 Pawnee Drive, Commack, pled guilty to the top count of Bribe Receiving in the Second Degree, a Class C Felony and Official Misconduct, a Class A Misdemeanor.

As part of his guilty plea, Jackson will make full restitution in the amount of $28,902 to the Mineola School District and will make $45,300 in assets available in Civil Forfeiture. The $45,300 represents the proceeds from Jackson’s criminal actions. Jackson is also surrendering his New York State School Business Administrators Certificate to the state Commissioner of Education.

According to Dillon, "Jackson was arrested by the DA’s Special Investigations Bureau (SIB) in January of 2005 for taking approximately $28,902 from the MUFSD. This amount included labor, the cost of the patio materials, the cost of a home lawn sprinkler system and the theft of MUFSD funds to pay for sod and landscape materials installed at his home in Commack and paid for on a MUFSD account. In addition, Jackson received bribes and gratuities, which included the cost of the patio installation, the cost of the driveway installation, cash, and the cost of plumbing and electrical work. In total, we estimate that Jackson benefitted by at least $74,202 as a result of these arrangements."

"By abusing his position as a School District Administrator, Jackson has committed a crime not only against the taxpayers and students of the Mineola Union Free School District, he has also undermined the trust the public expects from its public employees. I also would like to thank the MUFSD for its cooperation regarding the investigation and successful prosecution of this defendant." said Dillon.

Jackson will be sentenced on November 28, 2005 by Nassau County Court Judge Victor Ort.