Former school administrators plead guilty to theft from school district

Two former officials of Patterson Joint Unified in Stanislaus County pleaded guilty Thursday to a scheme that stole more than $1 million in federal funds, which were used to remodel homes and purchase vehicles, among other things,  The Sacramento Bee reported. 

Jeffrey Menge, the former assistant superintendent of the Central Valley district, embezzled between $1 million and $1.5 million from 2019 until 2022 using a fake company he created, according to court documents. Menge hired Eric Drabert as the district’s IT director to help with the scheme, according to the Bee’s report. 

Menge and Drabert “intentionally and fraudulently” double-billed, overbilled and billed the 6,000-student school district for items not delivered by Cencal Tech, the phony company, according to the Bee’s reporting of the court records. 

The two used the school money to purchase laptop computers, cryptocurrency and big-dollar expenses such as home remodels and vehicles. For example, Menge built a shop on his property, remodeled his home and purchased expensive vehicles, including a Ferrari; Drabert, who stole at least $250,000, paid to remodel a cabin in Calaveras County, according to the court records.

Their guilty pleas to theft concerning programs receiving federal funds could result in prison sentences of up to 10 years and $250,000 in fines, the Bee reported.