Former University Employee Pleads to Defrauding School

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A former Clarke University employee must serve nearly five years in prison after pleading guilty to defrauding the school of more than $300,000.

James Spaulding, a former bookstore manager at the eastern Iowa school, was sentenced Monday to four years and nine months in prison. He also was ordered to pay almost $319,000 in restitution and must serve three years of supervised release once he's released from prison.

Spaulding pleaded guilty to mail fraud and filing a false tax return.

Authorities say Spaulding submitted invoices to buy books from a company he established with a friend. He was accused of issuing checks for several invoices between 2011 and 2012. He would later receive cashier's checks for books that were never delivered.

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