Fennell Sentenced To Two Years In Prison

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — A former Vigo County School Corporation administrator has been sentenced to two years in prison for his role in a kickback scheme.

On Thursday U.S District Chief Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson also ordered 49-year-old Franklin Fennell of Terre Haute to pay $110,600 in restitution to the school corporation.

He apologized in court to the Terre Haute community.

The judge will recommend Fennel do his 24 months at the camp in Terre Haute but where he actually goes is up to the Bureau of Prisons.

Fennell will self report to prison but a date for that has not been set.

He was the district’s director of transportation and facilities support at the time of the crimes.

Fennell was convicted in December of nine counts of wire fraud, one count of theft and two counts of lying to federal investigators in a scheme in which proceeds from inflated or fraudulent invoices were pocketed.

Former county deputy and school security liaison Frank Shahadey served 16 months in prison for his role in the scheme.