Sheryl Williams Stapleton pleads guilty to diverting New Mexico school funds

Sheryl Williams Stapleton, a former high-ranking Democratic legislator and administrator for Albuquerque Public Schools, has pleaded guilty to state charges including fraud and money laundering. The plea follows a federal conviction on similar charges related to a yearslong scheme to divert millions of dollars intended for vocational education.

Prosecutors alleged that Williams Stapleton diverted funds to businesses and charities in which she held an interest. Specifically, the school district paid more than $3 million to Robotics Management Learning Systems LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based company at the center of the investigation. Much of this money originated from federal vocational education funds.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, all but four state charges will be dropped. The agreement calls for a 10.5-year prison sentence and more than $1.8 million in restitution. Williams Stapleton, who was first elected to the state House in 1994, resigned from her position in 2021 following the execution of search warrants at her home.