Ex-teacher Pleads Guilty...Hmmm

By JACLYN PITTS
jpitts@manassasjm.com
Thursday, April 27, 2006

A former Stonewall Jackson High School teacher pleaded guilty Wednesday to forging time sheets and embezzling about $6,000 in unearned pay from the school.

Charles Lindberg Manyfield Jr., 50, entered Alford pleas in Circuit Court Wednesday to four counts of misdemeanor embezzlement and four counts of forgery.

An Alford plea means Manyfield doesn't admit guilt but that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him.

Manyfield, of 16888 Winston Lane in Woodbridge, admitted to submitting false time sheets in June 2004 and February and March 2005.

All time discrepancies stemmed from overlapping hours between running after-school detention and tutoring homebound students.

Manyfield would submit periodic time sheets indicating his work outside regular school hours, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Richard Conway said Wednesday.

On June 1, 2004, Manyfield submitted a signed time sheet indicating he tutored a student from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. and also worked after-school detention from 6 to 9 p.m. that same day, Conway said.

Manyfield's charges resulted from discrepancies in time sheets in February and March 2005, as well.

He was arrested in June 2005 after someone in the school's payroll department caught on to what was happening when Manyfield put in for sick leave, police said at the time.

However, Manyfield's attorney, Steven Stone, said the time sheet mistakes "were not a conscious effort to enrich himself or his family."

"It's sad because he was really a good teacher," Stone said. "It's obvious mistakes were made, and he acknowledges that and will not be teaching any more."

Manyfield joined Prince William County Public Schools in October 1995. He has been on leave without pay since June, county schools spokesman Phil Kavits said.

Manyfield could face up to 44 years in prison.

However, in return for his guilty pleas, prosecutors recommended he serve one year of probation, no prison time and reimburse $6,000 to the school.

Circuit Court Judge Richard B. Potter, who is not bound by the prosecutors' recommendation, will determine Manyfield's sentence Sept. 7.

Man,

I bet this guy wished he worked for Haymarket and not Prince William County. The Town Council refuses to investigate any complaints of Falsifying Payroll Records or not coming to work in this town. Especially if you are the Chief of Police or a certain administrative assistant to the Chief.

I really believe if a possible crime has been reported to the Mayor and a few council members, and you are complacent with the report, you are guilty of conspiracy. We will have to see if Virginia State Police Agree.

Just remember - Always on Guard