Covington Principal Arrested: Top 5 Things You Need to Know About This Shocking School Scandal
- The arrest came after a months-long investigation by the local district attorney’s office into financial irregularities tied to a school construction contract. The principal is accused of steering funds to a family-owned construction firm, resulting in a $1.2-million overpayment.
- The principal faces three felony counts of first-degree theft and one count of money laundering. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in state prison. He was taken into custody Tuesday morning without incident at the Covington Middle School parking lot.
- The arrest has sparked a dramatic rift in the community, with a viral petition demanding the principal's resignation receiving over 4,000 signatures in 24 hours. Opposing parents have started a counter-petition, arguing he is a “beloved administrator” being unfairly targeted.
- Investigators discovered that the principal allegedly used a shell company to purchase a $50,000 boat and a vacation property in the Ozarks. Court documents show he also created false work orders for maintenance that was never performed.
- This is not the principal's first brush with legal scrutiny. In 2019, he was put on administrative leave for a month after a student alleged bullying by staff, though he was later reinstated without charges. The current arrest has reignited those old tensions and led to the entire school board calling for a full forensic audit.