Two face misdemeanor charges in Sylvester Road Elementary School theft

ALBANY — Dougherty County Assistant Superintendent of Support Services Jack Willis said Monday that two of five people involved in the alleged theft of property from the closed Sylvester Road Elementary School were formally charged Friday.

Willis said that district supervisor Barbara McClenton and Westover High School head custodian Marilyn Milledge were each charged with a single count of misdemeanor theft. The DCSS had already terminated McClenton while Milledge and custodians Marvin Russ, Latonya Davis and Essie Sindy were given administrative punishment, but kept their jobs.

Willis said Russ, Davis and Sindy agreed to testify against McClenton and Milledge.

The five were accused of the unauthorized taking of items ranging from computer Leap Pads to student desks, tables, chairs and a refrigerator from the vacant school, which was shuttered in 2013.

“We have some people who didn’t do us right to help protect the system rather than abuse it,” DCSS Superintendent Butch Mosely said. “They got caught and now they are in trouble. I hope the charges send a message because we know there are more of them out there that we need to be cautious of.

“Don’t get me wrong. By and large the majority of our employees have bought into what we’re doing, but some have not.”

According to the summary report prepared by the school system’s law enforcement unit, “our office was contacted by the Albany Police Department to respond to an address in the community in reference to a search warrant being issued. APD investigators reported they had found items that belonged to our school system.”

That revelation sparked an internal theft investigation of items taken from the vacant school. During the course of that investigation, it was determined that some custodians were responsible for taking items from the school.

“It was also revealed that a custodian district manager (McClenton) collaborated with the head custodian at Westover High School (Milledge) to take several items from Sylvester Road for the purpose of furnishing and equipping a day care center in Leesburg, Ga.,” the report added.

The day care facility, Bella’s Learning Center, is owned by Milledge’s daughter, Tokela Huston.

“We were given four tables and 20 chairs around two years ago, and I wrote them (the DCSS) a check for $1,500 just over two weeks ago. I have a receipt.” Huston said last week. “This all started when Barbara (McClenton) called my mother and said they are throwing this stuff away from the Sylvester Road School, and she told us to come get the furniture. We were just starting the business and, at the time, thought it was a blessing.

“Right now, all I want to do is clear my mother’s name.”