The Region - News from June 9, 1987

Two Lawndale nurserymen and a retired Los Angeles Unified School District employee were sentenced to three years’ probation by Superior Court Judge Aurelio Munoz for their admitted roles in a theft ring that allegedly embezzled at least $1 million from the school system. Nursery owner Henry M. Shimohara, 69, and George M. Nakahara, 67, the manager, previously pleaded no contest to a single count of grand theft. Henry Seagraves of Compton, who was a pest control supervisor, had pleaded guilty to stealing pesticides from the district. Dist. Atty. Ira Reiner said Shimohara and Nakahara were involved in a scheme in which the district paid for plants and plant holders never delivered by the nursery. They were ordered to make $125,000 in restitution. Seagraves was order to make $2,000 restitution. The three were ordered to perform 200 hours of community service each, and they agreed to testify against nine others charged in the case.