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Former Leader Of Dallas County School Bus Agency Charged For Taking $3M In Bribes

Rosa Say
/
Flickr

The former superintendent of the Dallas County Schools bus agency has been charged for his role in taking more than $3 million in bribes and kickback payments.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Monday afternoon that Rick Sorrells, 62, intends to plead guilty to wire fraud – that’s according to signed plea papers.

The attorney’s office alleges the president of a school-bus camera technology company paid Sorrells more than $3 million from 2011 through 2017 to help secure contracts to purchase school-bus-camera equipment; those contracts were worth more than $70 million.

Attorneys allege Sorrells took payments through various pass-through companies created and operated by a business associate and a law firm. Sorrells created fake consulting agreements, invoices and loan documents as well as a fake real estate business to hide the illegal purpose of the payments, according to the attorney's office. 

The FBI uncovered papers showing Sorrells and other players agreed to a narrative ensuring they had their stories straight. The company Sorrells helped was not identified by prosecutors.

There's been no response yet from Sorrells, who stepped down from Dallas County Schools last spring.

Voters decided last fall to abolish the bus agency. Sorrells faces up to 20 years in prison and a quarter million dollar fine.

Read the indictment

Rick Sorrells Indictment by KERANews on Scribd

Eric Aasen is KERA’s managing editor. He helps lead the station's news department, including radio and digital reporters, producers and newscasters. He also oversees keranews.org, the station’s news website, and manages the station's digital news projects. He reports and writes stories for the website and contributes pieces to KERA radio. He's discussed breaking news live on various public radio programs, including The Takeaway, Here & Now and Texas Standard, as well as radio and TV programs in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Bill Zeeble has been a full-time reporter at KERA since 1992, covering everything from medicine to the Mavericks and education to environmental issues.