Former Skiatook Superintendent Sentenced To Term Of Imprisonment

United States Attorney Danny C. Williams, Sr., announced that earlier today United States District Court Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Dr. Gary L. Johnson to 12 months and 1 day imprisonment for Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and to Corruptly Solicit, Accept, Give and Offer Things of Value. He was ordered to pay $207,590.01 of the $657,197.27 in restitution to the Skiatook Public Schools. Parole has been abolished in the Federal System.

Johnson, the former Skiatook Public Schools Superintendent, and Mr. Enos, an Oklahoma City businessman, had previously admitted to conspiring to defraud the United States by hiding from the Internal Revenue Service income derived from bribes in the preparation and filing of Johnson’s Federal income tax returns. Additionally, the defendants admitted they had agreed to violate Federal laws by engaging in corrupt conduct to influence Johnson through a series of bribes.

During the course of the conspiracy from 2004-2010, Johnson failed to perform his fiduciary responsibilities as a public official as they related to the procurement of supplies, equipment and services. Meanwhile, Enos profited substantially as he over billed the Skiatook School District for basic supplies, equipment and services.

Enos would submit invoices to Johnson at the Skiatook Schools for the supplies, equipment and services at prices that were as much as 400% inflated above the fair market value. Johnson would then approve payments by the Skiatook Schools for the over billed invoices. In exchange, Johnson would corruptly solicit and accept things of value, including cash, tickets to college football games, and the costs for travel, food, lodging, and entertainment from Enos.

For example, in January 2004, Enos took Johnson to the National NCAA Division I Football Championship game in New Orleans, Louisiana. Furthermore, beginning in 2007 and continuing on a recurring basis, Enos purchased with cash Johnson’s University of Oklahoma (“OU”) football tickets for a price in excess of the fair market value and then provided him with upgraded OU football tickets that provided access to a box suite. Enos also provided Johnson with multiple cash bribes during the course of the conspiracy.

In order to conceal their corrupt agreement, the defendants used code words when discussing their conspiratorial agreement. They used the code word “cabinet” to refer to corrupt cash payments of $100, and the words “large cabinet” to refer to corrupt cash payments of $1,000. Likewise, they concealed their conspiracy from the United States by failing to include the cash kickbacks paid by Enos to Johnson on Johnson’s 2008 Federal income tax return.

U.S. Attorney Williams commented, “Today’s sentence puts public officials on notice that they are not above the law, and will be held accountable when they solicit and accept bribes to influence their conduct.”

Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph Wilson and Trent Shores prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. Special Agents with the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Education’s Office of the Inspector General investigated the criminal conduct-at- issue in coordination with State of Oklahoma authorities.