Former Hulbert Schools Treasurer Sentenced For Theft Of Federal Education Funds

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA - The United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Leslie Shannon Mack, age 54, of Hulbert, Oklahoma, was sentenced to a term of 12 months and one day imprisonment for one count of Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds. As part of the sentence, the Court ordered Mack to pay $372,808.09 in restitution.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Education - Office of Inspector General.

On February 1, 2023, Mack pleaded guilty. According to investigators, from June 2019 until October 26, 2021, while Treasurer of Hulbert Public Schools, Mack issued herself and another individual excessive payroll payments above and beyond their district-authorized salaries. Mack also allowed another individual access to the financial accounting system. Their combined actions resulted in an ultimate loss to the Hulbert Public School District exceeding half a million dollars.

"The OSBI appreciates the great work conducted by all our law enforcement partners who assisted with this investigation," said Hunter McKee, Public Information Manager for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. "Providing justice to the victims impacted by this case is vital to our agency."

"I'm proud of the work of OIG Special Agents and our law enforcement partners for holding Ms. Mack accountable for her criminal actions," said Edd Cole, Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General Central Regional Office. "This sentence should serve as a warning to anyone who intentionally steals or misappropriates Federal education funds: you will be caught and held accountable for your unlawful actions."

"As Treasurer, the defendant was entrusted with the obligation to ensure that taxpayer funds were utilized to provide students a quality education. Mack's scheme to defraud the school district of thousands of dollars broke faith with students, fellow employees, and the public," said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. "I commend the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Education-OIG for their stellar investigative work in bringing the defendant to justice."

The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Mack was instructed to self-report to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility by January 10, 2025, to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kara Traster and Joshua Satter represented the United States.