February 1, 2020–2:25 p.m.

STAFF REPORTS

Former Floyd County Schools Maintenance Director Derry Richardson and 12 others accused of stealing from the school system have been be re-indicted by a Floyd County Grand Jury.

In August, Floyd Superior Court Judge Jack Neidrach granted a motion from the state to nolle prosequi or drop the current indictments.

As a result, under Georgia Code, the state had six months to re-indict.

The defense had raised issues with the first two indictments, such as a lack of language establishing jurisdiction, and one had a “T” instead of the words “True Bill.”

Richardson is accused of conspiring with other BOE employees and employees of maintenance and construction companies to inflate or falsify invoices, which resulted in the theft of more than $6.3 million dollars between 2007 and 2015.

The others who were re-indicted were Lisa Richardson, Jimmy Richardson; Dwayne Richardson, Russell David Burkhalter, Samuel Max Tucker, Harry Anthony Bailey, Robert Chad Watson, Charles Raiden Sherman, David Gary English, Rodney Don Holder, Sam Sprewell and James David Fielder.