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LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. – Former Limestone County Schools Superintendent Tom Sisk pleaded guilty to a fraud charge in federal court Thursday.

Sisk is one of six people facing a variety of charges in an alleged multi-million dollar scheme to defraud the U.S. government. Prosecutors say the alleged scheme involved fraudulently claiming that private school students who actually attended schools in Alabama’s Black Belt were enrolled full-time at virtual academies in the Athens and Limestone County school districts.

The U.S. District Court in Montgomery accepted Sisk’s guilty plea Thursday on single count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.

Sisk told the court, “It’s the right thing to do.”

According to court proceedings, prosecutors recommended a sentence no greater than the bottom range and agreed not to bring additional charges against Sisk. He faces up to 5 years in prison, a fine of no more than $250,000, or both.

Two other defendants in the case, Gregory Corkren and David Tutt, also pleaded guilty Thursday.

Corkren, a long-time friend of former Athens City Schools superintendent Trey Holladay, was charged with one conspiracy count and one count of aggravated identity theft. Holladay faces more than 80 counts of wire fraud and 34 counts of aggravated identity theft in the case.

Tutt, another friend of Holladay, worked for Marengo Academy in Linden. He was accused of helping recruit schools for the scheme.

Sentencing has not been set yet, and the men will remain free pending sentencing.