Two former school superintendents and a consultant have pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to commit embezzlement. They face up to five years in prison. 

Earl Jo Nelson, as superintendent of Clarksdale Municipal School District and later Leake County School District, and Mario Willis, as superintendent of Hollandale School District, paid each other tens of thousands of dollars in school funds for consultant services that were never rendered from November 2021 until at least June 2023, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

During that time frame, Hollandale School District sent nearly $100,000 to companies to benefit Nelson. Additionally, Clarksdale Municipal School District sent about $25,400 and Leake County School District sent about $23,400 to companies to benefit Willis.

While superintendent, Willis also sent $250,000 to a company owned by Monekea Smith-Taylor, a St. Louis-based teacher, for consulting services that were not actually provided. She would then meet Willis in person and pay him, often exactly half of what she had been paid, in cash.

Nelson and Smith-Taylor pleaded guilty during an appearance before U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock on Tuesday, according to the release. Willis pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy charge during his October court date. 

The trio has not been sentenced. Aycock scheduled a sentencing hearing for later this year. 

The state auditor’s office and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General are investigating the case. 

“Thank you to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for helping us bring this case to a close,” State Auditor Shad White said in the release. “My office will continue to work with prosecutors to deliver record results for taxpayers.”