Ferrara gets year probation and no fine for his crimes

Charles B. Ferrara, the retired athletic director who worked for the Long Branch Public Schools (LBPS) received his sentence today for the crimes he pleaded guilty in 2010. According to the United States Attorney District of New Jersey, Ferrara will receive one year probation, no fine and restitution will be determined at a later date which has not yet been determined.

Back in 2010, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced that Ferrara, who was 55 at the time, admitted in court that he conspired to defraud the LBPS through fraudulent business practices for his own personal benefit. He entered his guilty plea before United States District Judge Dickinson R. Debevoise in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in the case, Ferrara, who was employed as LBPS athletic director from at least January 2002 to September 2005, admitted he conspired with officials from Circle Systems Group, Inc. (Circle) to commit fraud relating to Long Branch’s purchasing of athletic equipment and provide fake price quotes for goods and services, in addition to their own. Circle used the letterhead of other companies to create two fake price quotes, indicating prices higher than what Circle had quoted, or would be quoting to school purchasing officials. Ferrara used this tactic to circumvent laws and regulations that required LBPS to obtain three price quotes from three different companies before goods and services were purchased by the school, and to steer LBPS business to Circle.

Ferrara also admitted that he approved invoices submitted by Circle to LBPS for payment on several occasions, knowing that Circle had not performed the full amount of services as billed. Once LBPS paid the invoice, Circle held the excess funds as “credit” for the school. Ferrara had Circle use portions of the LBPS “credit” to purchase merchandise for his and his family’s benefit, adding up to more than $3,000 in personal goods and merchandise, including a personal computer, video game consoles, video games and accessories, compact discs, DVD players and discs, camera, and various clothing and apparel.

The charges to which Ferrara pleaded guilty carried a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. His original sentencing date was set for February 22, 2010, but has had many postponements over the past four years.

The Link News spoke with several people this afternoon who wanted to know how come the LBPS business office didn’t pick on the Ferrara scheme during those years; where were the checks and balances? They also wanted to know if the crimes carried such high penalties, and he admitted to stealing from children why did he get off without a fine?

When we asked that question to the United States Attorney’s Office, they said the decision on the sentence was the sole discretion of the judge.