Sherry Washington tries to delay prison sentence again in DPS scam [Detroit Free Press]

Nov. 28--Quit stalling and report to prison.

That's the message the federal government gave today to Detroit gallery owner Sherry Washington, who is trying yet again to delay her seven-year prison sentence for raiding millions from the Detroit Public Schools.

In documents filed today in U.S. District Court, the government urged the court to reject Washington's request that she be released on bond pending her appeal.

The government argued that Washington's prison reporting date has already been extended to Jan. 6. She was supposed to start her sentence on Nov. 22, but asked for more time to get her personal and professional affairs in order.

The judge honored her request.

Two weeks later, on Nov. 22, Washington asked that she be released on bond pending her appeal.

The government called the latest request a delay tactic.

"Five months after her conviction ... Washington continues to attempt to forestall and delay the inevitable: the service of her sentence," Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Michael Buckley wrote in today's document.

Washington was sentenced on Oct. 20 to seven years in prison for overbilling the DPS for a sham wellness program, and paying kickbacks to the school executive who helped make it all happen.

Washington also was ordered to pay $3.3 million in restitution to the school district. That's how much she charged the district for a wellness program that -- records show -- was supposed to cost $150,000.

Washington is appealing, saying she had ineffective legal representation at trial.

"The defendant was deprived of the effective assistance of counsel at trial where counsel failed to investigate and present available exculpatory defense evidence, and where counsel failed to make proper objections to inadmissible evidence," wrote Washington's lawyer Carole Stanyar wrote in court documents.

Stanyar also wrote that "this appeal is not for the purpose of delay."

Washington was among nine defendants indicted last fall, including Stephen Hill, a former executive director for the DPS Risk Management Department, who testified against Washington at trial and was sentenced to five years in prison in September for his role.

At Washington's trial, Hill admitted that he helped Wash­ington's company secure the contract with DPS -- without taking any competitive bids -- and that he made sure the invoices got approved. In exchange for his help, he said, he got $150,000 in cash kickbacks.

Of the nine defendants indicted in the scheme, one died, seven pleaded guilty, and Washington was convicted at trial.

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