State Auditor’s Office Arrests Former Wayne County School District Employees for Embezzlement

WAYNE COUNTY, MS. - The following is a press release from Mississippi State Auditor.

State Auditor Stacey Pickering announced that former employees of the Wayne County School District (WCSD) turned themselves in Friday morning to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.

Robert Dean, former Superintendent of WCSD, was indicted on charges of embezzlement and conspiracy to commit the crime of embezzlement, between April 5, 2011 and June 1, 2011.

The Office of the State Auditor (OSA) also issued a demand in the amount of $12,359.00 to cover the loss, interest, and the cost of recovery.

Ronnie Crane, former Principal for Buckatanna School, and Freddie Mills, former custodian at Clara School, were indicted for conspiracy to commit the crime of embezzlement for their parts in the embezzlement scheme.

Dean allegedly instructed various individuals to produce and pay fictitious invoices for painting services, which were never performed at WCSD, in order to satisfy a personal debt owed to Crane.

“These individuals abused their position for their own personal gain while stealing from the children of the Wayne County School District,” State Auditor Stacey Pickering said. “My office will continue to protect the taxpayers of Mississippi by holding these officials accountable for their actions.”

Freddie Mills

Robert Dean

Ronnie Crane

Dean, Crane, and Mills are scheduled to appear in Wayne County Circuit Court on August 7, 2017.