Devin Fletcher Pleaded Not Guilty To Wire Fraud Charges In Court

Former Tulsa Public Schools official Devin Fletcher made his first court appearance today on charges of embezzling more than $600,000 from the district.

He entered a standard not guilty plea and was released without bond on the condition that he couldn't have contact with anyone from TPS.

What Are the Details of the Charges?

Federal prosecutors charged a former Tulsa Public Schools administrator of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from the district.

Investigators said Devin Fletcher worked with his sister to orchestrate payments for consulting services that never even happened.

Documents state for four years, Fletcher knowingly worked to commit wire fraud. Investigators said money meant for consulting services was instead wired to bank accounts linked to Fletcher and his family.

An affidavit states Fletcher wrote fake invoices, purchase orders, and other documents, robbing both TPS and the charity supporting the district of nearly $604,000. Documents state Fletcher worked with his sister to contract “Talented 10th” to provide things like talent management services, but no such services were ever performed.

Documents state Fletcher and his sister sent emails to TPS accountants to be paid for services often described as educator development, coaching, and instructional support. Again, investigators said none of those services ever happened.

Prosecutors said the money was instead wired to accounts linked to Fletcher, his sister, and his mom. Fletcher resigned from his position as the district’s Chief Learning and Talent Officer in 2022.

Around that time, TPS first reported the mismanagement of nearly $20,000. This prompted Governor Stitt and State Superintendent Ryan Walters to call for an audit of the district and the resignation of then-TPS superintendent Dr. Deborah Gist.

Walters said the criminal charge is a step in the right direction. He sent us the following statement:

This is a good step toward righting the ship at Tulsa Public Schools. TPS Must ensure there are internal financial controls in place to prevent this abuse of the public trust.

Meanwhile, Tulsa Schools calls the incident deeply troubling. It released the following statement:

Our commitment to the students, families, and community we serve remains unwavering. While this incident is deeply troubling, it does not define the hardworking and dedicated educators, staff, and administrators who make up our school district. District leadership continues to cooperate with law enforcement and the state auditor’s office to ensure that justice is served. In addition, district teams began the work of strengthening internal financial controls over a year ago and continue to build upon those improvements to safeguard our district’s finances.

If convicted, Fletcher would have to pay back anything traced to the money he is accused of embezzling.