By Ashley Perham, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The former Boone County Schools maintenance director and a Kentucky businessman have been sentenced for their roles in a fraud that robbed the Boone County school system of $3.4 million.
Michael David Barker, 48, pleaded guilty in April to conspiracy to commit mail fraud when he was the BCS maintenance director. He was sentenced on Nov. 10 to two years and nine months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Federal authorities said Barker falsified documents to show that the school system was receiving a large amount of janitorial and custodial products like hand soap and face masks from Kentucky-based Rush Enterprises during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company was owned by Jesse Marks.
Marks, 65, pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to commit mail fraud as well. He was sentenced Nov. 13 to five years of probation including 18 months at home.
