Scott Lund, Shelby, Michigan schools ex-superintendent, pleads guilty to embezzlement

FROM MLIVE.COM

Scott Gordon Lund, the former Shelby Public Schools superintendent, has pleaded guilty to felony embezzlement from the schools.


In a plea agreement Monday, Lund, 55, of New Era, pleaded guilty to embezzlement by a public official of more than $50, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. In exchange for his plea, a second count of retaining a financial transaction device without consent, a maximum four-year penalty, was dismissed. The “device” was an Oceana High School gasoline credit card.

Oceana County Prosecutor Terry Shaw agreed to seek a jail sentence no higher than the midpoint of state sentencing guidelines. That's likely to mean a term of a few months in the Oceana County Jail and certainly won't lead to state prison time, Shaw said.

As part of the deal, Lund must pay $14,129 in restitution.

The sentencing judge, 27th Circuit Judge Anthony A. Monton, is free to set any term of probation when he sentences Lund Oct. 1.

Finally, under the plea deal, if Lund serves the jail time, pays the restitution and successfully completes his probation, he will be allowed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor and have the felony conviction removed from his record, Shaw said.

Lund was charged with using school funds to buy himself more than $13,000 worth of items, including a large-screen TV set, a treadmill, three iPads, material to build a deck and Wesco gasoline cards.

Lund resigned as superintendent of Shelby schools effective Dec. 21, 2011, after being placed on paid leave Dec. 8. He had held the top job for about a year, previously serving as principal of Oceana High School and of Ferry Elementary School.

The alleged embezzlement happened from Nov. 14, 2009, to Dec. 24, 2010, according to the charge. For most of that period, Lund was principal of Oceana High School.

The credit card offense allegedly took place from July 1 to Dec. 6, 2011. In that period, Lund was superintendent.