POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. -- A former teacher and current member of the Mason County school board was indicted this week on bribery charges.
Teresa L. Warner, 52, of Point Pleasant, is charged with six counts of bribery in official and political matters, according to the Mason County Circuit Clerk's office.
Putnam County Prosecutor Mark Sorsaia has been assigned as special prosecutor in the case because of a conflict of interest. Sorsaia will attend Warner's arraignment at 9:30 a.m. today at the Mason County courthouse in Point Pleasant, he said.
In July 2010, Warner was arrested for fraudulent schemes after she allegedly sold GEDs to residents from 2002 to 2010, according to a criminal complaint filed by State Police Trooper K.M. Gilley at the time of Warner's arrest.
Warner was serving as vice president of the Mason County school board when she was arrested. According to the complaint, Warner is accused of receiving more than $1,000 in exchange for passing grades on GED tests.
During that period, Warner was employed at Lakin Correctional Facility, where she taught adult basic education classes at the facility. She taught basic reading, writing and math skills and also helped prepare female inmates for GED testing, according to a Lakin Correctional Center Booklet for Intakes.
State Police do not believe she sold any degrees to inmates.
Warner allegedly made arrangements with another GED examiner, according to the complaint, to fraudulently issue passing grades by having someone else complete the answer sheet for the person taking the test.
POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. -- A former teacher and current member of the Mason County school board was indicted this week on bribery charges.
Teresa L. Warner, 52, of Point Pleasant, is charged with six counts of bribery in official and political matters, according to the Mason County Circuit Clerk's office.
Putnam County Prosecutor Mark Sorsaia has been assigned as special prosecutor in the case because of a conflict of interest. Sorsaia will attend Warner's arraignment at 9:30 a.m. today at the Mason County courthouse in Point Pleasant, he said.
In July 2010, Warner was arrested for fraudulent schemes after she allegedly sold GEDs to residents from 2002 to 2010, according to a criminal complaint filed by State Police Trooper K.M. Gilley at the time of Warner's arrest.
Warner was serving as vice president of the Mason County school board when she was arrested. According to the complaint, Warner is accused of receiving more than $1,000 in exchange for passing grades on GED tests.
During that period, Warner was employed at Lakin Correctional Facility, where she taught adult basic education classes at the facility. She taught basic reading, writing and math skills and also helped prepare female inmates for GED testing, according to a Lakin Correctional Center Booklet for Intakes.
State Police do not believe she sold any degrees to inmates.
Warner allegedly made arrangements with another GED examiner, according to the complaint, to fraudulently issue passing grades by having someone else complete the answer sheet for the person taking the test.
A week after her arrest, fellow board members Mike Cottrill, Randy Searls, Dale Shobe and Ron Nunnery called for her resignation. However, Warner never resigned. Board members could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Telephone calls to Warner were not returned Thursday.
Warner previously told news outlets the charges were a "retaliatory political vendetta from the last school board election."
Reach Kate White at kate.wh...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1723.
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