Investigator assigned to school audit case

POTEAU, Okla. (AP) -- An investigator has been assigned to look into concerns raised in a recent state audit of Monroe Public Schools.

"We're taking the first steps in a criminal investigation,"

LeFlore County District Attorney Rob Wallace said Thursday. "We're following up on the concerns the auditors discovered, to see if criminal charges are warranted. And, if they are warranted, we will file charges." looking into concerns raised in a recent state audit of Monroe Public Schools.

Wallace said the investigation will focus on credit card usage and travel expenses paid to former Superintendent Tim Caughern; a possible fraudulent warrant issued to interim Superintendent Winford Chandler, and possible state Open Meeting Act violations.

The probe also will look at possible collusion between Caughern's computer company, Okietek, and a computer company in Houston; and business transactions Caughern's computer company did with the school.

Caughern no longer works for the school district.

The investigation focused on 13 concerns between July 1, 1996, through Feb. 1, 2000. The audit was requested by state schools Superintendent Sandy Garrett and Wallace.