Gerard T. Indelicato, the former education adviser to Gov. Michael S. Dukakis of Massachusetts, has reversed himself to plead guilty to five counts of mail fraud, conspiracy, and making false statements in connection with a scheme to defraud the state of $80,000 in adult-education funds. (See Education Week, Jan. 13, 1988.)
As part of a plea-bargain agreement, prosecutors will recommend that Mr. Indelicato be sentenced to five years in prison and three years’ probation, and pay $80,000 in restitution to the state. The indictment covered the period from 1979 to 1983. Mr. Indelicato served as the Governor’s special assistant for education from 1983 to 1986.
The former transportation director for New Jersey’s largest suburban school district has pleaded guilty to a federal charge that he received more than $400,000 in payoffs to favor local bus contractors.
James W. Dickinson, a former employee of the Woodbridge school district, faces up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines for using his official position to extort payoffs for almost a decade, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Brickfield.
Mr. Dickinson previously pleaded guilty to related state charges that he received more than $300,000 in bribes and proceeds from selling stolen goods, prosecutors said.
Sentencing probably will be delayed until fall because under the terms of the plea agreement, Mr. Dickinson is cooperating in an investigation of corruption in the state’s school-transportation industry, Mr. Brickfield said.
Federal and state charges against Mr. Dickinson, two former school-board members, and two bus-company officials were announced last month. Prosecutors claimed the Woodbrige school district was defrauded of as much as $1 million through schemes to rig bids, bribe board officials, and pad bills. (See Education Week, April 13, 1988.) All have pleaded guilty and all but one are cooperating in the investigation, Mr. Brickfield said.
