Lawton woman pleads guilty in connection with school security scam

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A woman whose sexual harassment allegations led to the discovery of a security scam in the Lawton public school district has pleaded guilty in the case.<br/><br/>33-year-old Wanda

Wednesday, August 17th 2005, 6:18 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A woman whose sexual harassment allegations led to the discovery of a security scam in the Lawton public school district has pleaded guilty in the case.

33-year-old Wanda Byrd entered the plea to a charge of theft from a federally funded program Tuesday in Oklahoma City federal court.

Authorities say Byrd admitted to cashing more than $20,000 in checks for security work purportedly performed by her husband between June 2003 and May.

She worked as a Lawton Public Schools employee during the scheme, which operated from 2001 until last year.

Byrd alleged that security coordinator Mark Edward McFarland sexually harassed her. She, McFarland and former Lawton Deputy Superintendent Willie Lee Anderson were charged in federal court because the school received federal funding.

All eight of them have pleaded guilty to theft charges after reaching plea agreements.