The man accused of defrauding the local public school division is scheduled to make his first appearance in Barrhead Provincial Court Tuesday, Jan. 8, at 10 a.m.
Former Supt. Richard Harvey is charged with fraud over $5,000 and breach of trust for allegedly defrauding the Pembina Hills school division by submitting excessive expense claims during his tenure.
Harvey worked at the division from Aug.1, 2006 until his sudden departure Oct. 23, 2010, which was announced via a one-sentence press release from the division.
The school division would not say whether Harvey quit or was fired, or offer any other explanation.
The fraud investigation into a then-unnamed employee of the school division began weeks later, and continued for nearly two years until Barrhead RCMP announced charges had been laid in October 2012.
Police would not provide Harvey’s name, but an Alberta Justice spokesperson confirmed Harvey had been charged in relation to his time with Pembina Hills.
Harvey now resides in Newfoundland, where he has recently been employed with the Newfoundland and Labrador Smokers’ Help Line.
His Jan. 8 court appearance will be his first appearance on these matters, and as such there is not likely to be much resolved. First appearances, typically, involve the accused asking for more time to review the Crown’s case, look for a lawyer and consider their position.
