Guilty Plea in Fresno State Grade-Changing Scheme

FRESNO, Calif.—Acting United States Attorney Lawrence G. Brown announced today that LARRY DONNELL JONES, 32, of Anchorage, Alaska pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to three counts of honest services mail fraud for his involvement in a grade-changing scheme involving California State University, Fresno.

This case is the result of an extensive investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Crimes Task Force and the Fresno State Police Department. The FBI’s Cyber Crimes Task Force is made up of members of the FBI, Fresno Police Department, Fresno County Sheriff’s Department, California Department of Justice, and United States Secret Service.

According to Assistant United States Attorney Stanley A. Boone, who is prosecuting the case, JONES was indicted October 25, 2007 with co-defendants CHRISTINA DAVIS, 36, of Anchorage, Alaska and ANTONIO LAMAR PRATT, 32, of Fresno charging them with conspiracy, honest services wire fraud, unauthorized access of computer and identity theft. At the time of the intrusion, JONES was employed by Fresno State. JONES assumed the identities of Fresno State’s Registrar and Assistant Registrar, which then allowed him to make grade changes for himself, his girlfriend DAVIS, and friend PRATT. According to the plea, the defendant made nine grade changes for DAVIS and 27 grade changes for PRATT. Both intrusions were discovered by the university when performing an audit on their grading software.

JONES’s sentencing is scheduled for May 4, 2009. The maximum sentence he could face is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The case against DAVIS and PRATT is pending.

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