Former State Lawmaker Sheryl Williams Stapleton Faces Trial Over Alleged Kickback Scheme
Sheryl Williams Stapleton, a former state House majority floor leader, is on trial in U.S. District Court facing 37 criminal counts, including conspiracy, bribery, money laundering, and mail fraud. The charges stem from allegations that Stapleton, while serving as the director of Albuquerque Public Schools’ career and technical education program, approved payments totaling approximately $3.2 million to a company owned by her co-defendant, Joseph Johnson. In return, she allegedly received about $1.1 million in kickbacks. Prosecutors claim that from 2013 to 2020, Stapleton directed federal funds meant for career training to Johnson's company, which misused a significant portion of these funds. Stapleton is accused of personally retrieving checks from a post office box and depositing them into the company's account, then writing checks for personal use. The trial is expected to last until August 14, with opening arguments scheduled to begin soon.