Following a nine-day trial, a federal jury decided to convict former State Representative Sheryl Williams Stapleton, along with her friend Joseph Johnson, on all counts they were charged with stemming from a lengthy scheme in which Stapleton used her position within Albuquerque Public Schools and in the legislature to ensure millions of dollars of funding went to Johnson’s company.
Stapleton also received $1.15 million from the company in secret payments. According to information gleaned from court documents and evidence that was presented at the pair’s trial, from the time period ranging from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2021, Stapleton, 69, used the power and authority that came with her position at Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) as Director of the Perkins Project and Career and Technical Education Coordinator to direct 40% of APS non-personnel funding to Johnson’s company.
Robotics Management Learning Systems, owned by Johnson, 75, received the funds to install CyberQuest software in classrooms. Over that time period, APS paid Robotics a total of $3.25 million for the software and other related services, which also included $2.52 million in federal Perkins funds. Stapleton was also serving as the New Mexico representative for District 19 at the time, occupying the position from 1995 through 2021.
She was the majority floor leader from 2017 to 2021, according to a report from the Justice Department. While serving in the Legislature, Stapleton both sponsored and advocated for bills and capital outlays that directed funding to APS for the CTE programs. She used her position with the APS to further direct funding to Robotics and facilitate contracts for the company through various means.
As the school system’s CTE official, Stapleton conducted reviews and approved Robotics’ invoices and provided direction for employees who were placed under her supervision to approve them. APS sent checks to Robotics and mailed them to a post office box located in the city. Stapleton personally retrieved the checks from the post office box and deposited them in Robotics’ bank account.
Johnson then provided blank checks from the company’s official account to Stapleton, who used them to distribute Robotics funds for her own benefit. A total of 38% of the APS funds paid to Robotics were used by Stapleton, which amounts to approximately $1,152,506. Over $286,772 was directed to S. Williams & Associates, a company she owned and controlled.
Another $313,123 was given to Taste of the Caribbean, a restaurant in Albuquerque that she owned and several of her family members operated. Stapleton sent $479,961 to Ujima Foundation, a nonprofit organization that Stapleton and Johnson operated together. She then sent $72,649 to other individuals and parties for goods and services, including a remodel of her home.
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The two kept their financial relationship a secret, failing to disclose the substantial amount of income she received from Robotics on required state financial disclosures and federal tax returns. Johnson performed similar actions. Stapleton was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States, five counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, 13 counts of mail fraud, and honest services fraud, three counts of making and subscribing false tax returns, nine counts of money laundering, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
After the verdict, the Court then ordered that Stapleton be released until sentencing, which, as of this writing, has not been scheduled. She could be looking at a maximum penalty of 524 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Johnson was convicted of the same charges and could face up to 515 years in prison.
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