Ex-Poway Unified School District Superintendent John Collins pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor financial disclosure charge and was immediately sentenced to five years probation in a plea deal in a case in which he was accused of misappropriating more than $345,000 in public funds, City News Service reported.
The Poway Unified School District and Collins also reached a settlement in a civil lawsuit related to the allegations, which is expected to be finalized Wednesday night. That settlement involves Collins paying the district $185,000 over a period of time, according to Judge Frederic Link.
Collins was fired in July 2016 after the auditor found he had collected more than $300,000 in unauthorized pay.
Collins was accused of padding his salary, collecting unauthorized vacation payouts and taking off-the-books time off, according to search warrant affidavits seeking all financial records. He initially faced seven years in prison if convicted.
Prosecutor Leon Schorr said Collins also used the district credit card improperly and criminally by using it for personal expenses.
Defense attorney Paul Pfingst said Collins was an exempt employee and under his contract, he should not be penalized for going to medical appointments or taking half-days.
At the time he lost his job, Collins was the highest paid school superintendent in the county, earning $308,900 per year, with total compensation of $457,347 including extra pay, benefits, and retirement.
