10 people, including former employees, charged with theft of federal programs funds from local university

Ten individuals have been charged with theft of federal program funding from Tuskegee University.

United States Attorney Jonathan Ross tells Action 8 News that a federal grand jury indicted 51-year-old Wanda Tyner Hairston, of Auburn; 52-year-old Lora Regina Baker, of Montgomery; 26-year-old Keyonn Dalarrion Cannon, of Tuskegee; 29-year-old Lanequia Shanice Cooper, of Auburn; 27-year-old Ledaryl Tremayne Johnson, of Tuskegee;  50-year-old Jeanette Moss-Smith, of Auburn; 61-year-old Cassandra Harris Parker, of Tuskegee; 57-year-old Phyllis Vanessa Tyner, of Auburn; Morris Gene Walch, of Auburn; and 23-year-old Abraham Torbert Wright, Jr., of Tuskegee.

All 10 suspects are charged with conspiracy to commit federal program theft.

According to the indictment, Parker, Baker, Moss-Smith, and Hairston were Tuskegee University employees during the time frame of the alleged conspiracy, which began at an unknown date and continued to the year 2020.

As purchasing manager, court records say Parker created purchase orders indicating money was owed to co-conspirators so that checks would be issued to them. Baker worked in the Accounts Payable Department and entered the check requests into the university’s accounting system, causing the checks to be issued. Moss-Smith signed the check request forms and Hairston assigned grant codes to the forms confirming sufficient funds existed to cover the checks. Once issued, Parker delivered the checks to the co-conspirators.

The indictment alleges that Cannon, Cooper, Johnson, Tyner, Welch, and Wright, Jr., each cashed checks provided to them as part of the scheme. The indictment further alleges that the ten named individuals conspired to steal federal program funds through the wrongful issuance of these checks. In addition to the conspiracy charges, Parker, Baker, Moss-Smith, and Hairston are also charged with theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.

Officials with Tuskegee University provided this statement to Action 8 News:

“Tuskegee University learned today that 10 individuals were indicted with federal charges as part of a theft scheme. Four are former employees who were terminated immediately upon discovery in 2021. The university worked with law enforcement during that time and has implemented a variety of measures to ensure that this kind of activity does not take place again. The university does not tolerate theft in any form and employees found to participate in such will be terminated immediately.”

The conspiracy to commit federal program theft charge carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison. In addition, Parker, Baker, Moss-Smith, and Hairston, face sentences of up to ten years for the charge of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.

“The United States Attorney’s Office considers the theft of federal dollars to be a serious crime,” said United States Attorney Ross. “My office will continue to prosecute those who exploit federal programs and who exploit the institutions, like Tuskegee University, entrusted with using federal program funds for their intended purposes.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency are all investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher P. Moore is prosecuting the case.

Trials for each defendant is currently scheduled for August 12, 2024.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.