March 17, 2009

GUILTY PLEA IN FRESNO STATE GRADE-CHANGING SCHEME

FRESNO, Calif.—Acting United States Attorney Lawrence G. Brown announced today that ANTONIO LAMAR PRATT, 32, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud and identity theft for his involvement in a grade-changing scheme involving California State University, Fresno.

This case is the result of an extensive investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Crimes Task Force and the Fresno State Police Department. The FBI’s Cyber Crimes Task Force is made up of members of the FBI, Fresno Police Department, Fresno County Sheriff’s Department, California Department of Justice, and United States Secret Service.

According to Assistant United States Attorney Stanley A. Boone, who is prosecuting the case, PRATT was indicted October 25, 2007 with LARRY DONNELL JONES, 32, and CHRISTINA DAVIS, 36, both of Anchorage, Alaska, with conspiracy, honest services wire fraud, unauthorized access of computer, and identity theft. At the time of the intrusion, JONES was employed by Fresno State. JONES assumed the identities of Fresno State’s Registrar and Assistant Registrar, which then allowed him to make grade changes for himself, his girlfriend DAVIS, and friend PRATT. According to the plea, PRATT asked JONES to change 27 of PRATT’s grades so he could obtain his bachelors degree. After JONES made the grade changes, PRATT filed his request to graduate from Fresno State. The intrusion was discovered by the University when performing an audit on their grading software. PRATT never received his degree from Fresno State.

PRATT’S sentencing is scheduled for June 5, 2009. The maximum sentence he could face is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables and any applicable statutory sentencing factors.

JONES pleaded guilty two weeks ago to three counts of honest services mail fraud for his involvement. His sentencing is scheduled for May 4, 2009. The case against DAVIS is pending.

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For more information on federal criminal defense law, contact the Law Offices of Joseph Shemaria of Los Angeles, California.