Former Southeast Missouri school director pleads guilty to nine felonies

A former director of the Current River Area Vocational Technical School at Doniphan, Mo., pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to nine felonies, including mail and wire fraud and theft of government funds.

Michael R. Smock of Doniphan pleaded guilty to two felony counts of theft from an organization receiving federal funds, three felony counts of mail fraud, three felony counts of wire fraud and one felony count of false statement before U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr., according to the Federal prosecutor's office.

Limbaugh set sentencing for June 22.

At that time, Smock faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000, followed by a maximum three-year period of supervised release on each of six counts.

The other three counts range from a maximum of 10 years imprisonment to five years on each count.

Between Aug. 1, 2001, and Dec. 18, 2004, Smock was the director of vocational education for the Doniphan R-1 School District

With his plea, Smock admitted after he became director, he knowingly and willfully devised a scheme to defraud the Doniphan R-1 School District, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the United States Department of Education by means of false and fraudulent pretenses and material representations to get grant money and other funding.

Smock reportedly carried out the fraud from 2003 to 2005 by submitting expenditure reports to the DESE that were false.

In certain instances, upon receipt of the federal funds intended for equipment purchases for use by the Doniphan school, Smock intentionally misapplied said funds to purchase computer systems and equipment, which he converted to his own use and/or sold through his personal business, "Smock Computers," the prosecutor's office said.

Smock owned and operated his business from his Doniphan residence.

Smock also prepared false and fraudulent purchase orders for computer equipment purportedly for use by the vo-tech school, which when received he sold in his personal business.

When the invoices were received by the school district, checks were placed in the mail and delivered by the United States Postal Service.

Another means and manner in which Smock carried out his scheme to defraud the school district was by knowingly, willfully and intentionally using his personal US Bank Visa credit card to purchase computer software.

Smock then reportedly created a purchase order submitted to the district for reimbursement of some or all of said expenditures.

Simultaneously with Smock's receipt of the reimbursement check by said school district, Smock would return some or all of the purchase order items for credit on Smock's personal credit card.

On Dec. 1, 2004, investigators of the Missouri State Highway Patrol executed search warrants on Smock's residence located at 903 Cherry St. and personal storage units in Doniphan maintained by Smock.

The search resulted in the seizure of computer equipment, materials and tools, which further investigation revealed was school property, as evidenced by the serial numbers and descriptions listed on school purchase orders and invoices paid with school funds.

Further investigation by the Highway Patrol confirmed approximately 30 persons had purchased computers from Smock's personal business, which Smock had assembled after purchasing said hardware with school funds.