Ex-Schools Official Sentenced for Theft
A one-time senior Los Angeles Unified School District official was sentenced to 16 months in state prison Wednesday for his role in a theft ring that stole about $1 million worth of supplies from the district.
James Riley, 56, of Lynwood had pleaded no contest in January to the grand theft and embezzlement charges. He was fired from his job as director of the school district’s operations branch after being charged in the case in March, 1987.
Riley’s sentence was imposed by Superior Court Judge Gordon Ringer. At the same time, the judge also sentenced a second defendant, Robert J. Barrios, 34, of Tujunga to five years of probation and ordered him to perform 400 hours of community service.
In addition, Barrios, a former school district gardener, is to make $28,000 restitution and pay an additional $5,000 fine.
In all, 21 defendants were involved in the theft case.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
