Deseret News | No jail for Davis man in $4M scheme

Reader comments
No jail for Davis man in $4M scheme

Anonymous | 7:31 p.m. Nov. 4, 2009

He pled guilty THEN attempted to tell all the GOOD he had done??????

Oh brother..............

THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL IS THE LOVE OF MONEY

Jaw-dropping | 9:55 p.m. Nov. 4, 2009

Can Waddoups be removed from the bench? His ruling is jaw-dropping.

Taylor | 11:40 p.m. Nov. 4, 2009

so, brought in $17 million and stole $4 million?

$500 fine? $800,000 restitution? What about the other $3.2 million? Or, more that nobody found? What about the corruption, and the possible past earnings on that $4 million?

Oh, there must be something I don't understand; something they haven't told the public. Then he's outraged that we learned of his crime? Just like the driver who commits infractions and blames the law abiding drivers.

Comments continue below

Blame our lawmakers | 11:53 p.m. Nov. 4, 2009

Don't blame the judge, I'm sure he passed down what the law allows him to. Blame congress and our lawmakers for letting crimes like this go so under punished. If enough people form a voice, the laws can change to carry harsher penalties.

Anonymous | 11:55 p.m. Nov. 4, 2009

What a Neanderthal.

Disappointing... | 12:03 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

I remember when this first came to light. It was appalling someone would steal millions worth of money from students for their own pocket. Now to hear that a judge is truly letting this couple off easy is sickening. These plea deals prosecutors come up with are getting more and more ridiculous by the minute.

Who Should Be Offended | 1:06 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

John Ross said "I am deeply offended by the trash that has been printed by Salt Lake and Ogden daily papers and my voice has not yet been heard."

Reply: I am deeply offended that you and your wife scammed the taxpayers of Utah, the Davis School District, and the good children of Davis County. Take your voice and just shut-up - we're not buying whatever lame excuse you want to spew out of your mouth.

Dixie Dan | 6:25 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

Bernie Madoff should request a change of venue and be sentenced in Utah. He would have completed his jail time and probably be running another ponzi by now in Utah County.

suzyk | 6:51 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

As I read the comments I found it interesting that I felt exactly the same way. These are well-educated men and women who knew better. They have lived quite a life of luxury these past few years and now we know why. I don't know how good, religious people can excuse dishonesty and greed as they live day by day and destroy the value of example they have been to many friends, co-workers and especially family. Yet they try and excuse their choices and actions. They have compromised their beliefs and values for money. They knew there were consequences for their poor choices yet they became common in their thinking they could get away with it. Now anything and everything they do will be questioned. I've known Sue since high school and I had such a high regard for her never imagining she would do something like this. I am deeply disappointed but am more concerned about their families and dear friends who have been let down by their unrighteous decision to be dishonest. Thank heavens for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the gift it brings to all, Repentance. They are in my prayers.

School Song | 7:21 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?
John Ross, stole the cookie from the cookie jar!
Who ME?

Anonymous | 7:45 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

What is the message here? "Do want you want, if you get caught say sorry and remind them how good you are?" They are ADULTS and knew what they were doing!

KW | 7:48 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

I see he was given a more lenient sentence because he's suffered a stroke and because he didn't have the same level of responsibility as his wife. OK, guess I can deal with that.

But, honestly. This guy helps steal $4 million dollars from little kids - kids who needed it more than most - and this is what he's got to say for himself?

Think... before you speak... | 7:59 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

"Judge not yet ye be judged."
You weren't in court, you don't have all the facts... you aren't in any of their shoes... so be careful what you say and remember what goes around comes around!

free market | 8:17 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

In a free market economy, you don't need judges! These crooks would never have been able to do what they did, and on a lesser scale would have been ostricized to the point of REAL pennance. Wake up people. Laws - Government - The State - It is all a fraud! When are we going to start taking responsibility for ourselves instead of depending on beaureaucrats that steal from us at the point of a gun?

Mom of 4 | 8:23 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

"I was not purposely deceitful"??? Give me a break! I thought when one pled guilty, that person was required to take responsibility for his/her own actions. How does that statement about not being purposely deceitful fit into taking responsibility and what about the $4 million that this couple STOLE from the schoolchildren in this school district? What does he want us to believe- that he was accidentally deceitful??? That he defrauded this school district by accident? His voice has indeed been heard and what is heard is that he is a thief and a liar.
The district should pursue civil action against this couple to recover the entire $4M and then change their policies so that something like this cannot happen again.
Maybe this couple should have to do the same thing that I saw on the news that a couple of women did who stole from a child recently. The Rosses should have to stand in front of the district office every day for a week with a big sign that says, "I stole $4 million from the children of this school district". Maybe then, "justice" will be served.

To Think... before you speak... | 9:28 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

So what goes around comes around huh, sure hope that 4 million comes around again so it can do some good for the kids rather than the Ross family. Who else prospered from the theft? I hope that part of the plea deal is that the Rosses will have to account for the full 4 million so that a relative somewhere is not set for the life of luxury on the tax payers "dime".

James | 9:29 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

He looks like shawn Connery.

hey i want 3.2 million | 9:32 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

to come around to me so I might as well say what i have to say...the judgement is bogus...bank robbers who steal less get more and some of them face harder lives that drove them there...but to excuse these two ...just lets the others know they can get away with the unnacountable! Fire the judge!

Judy | 9:37 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

Just another example of how out of touch our judges are.

Throw the "Book" at 'em | 9:44 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

Thanks for the warning about "think before you judge" and "I have never walked in their shoes so I don't understand their actions" and all that other garbage.
So if we are to believe Mr. Ross, he was the victim here. He supposedly didn't know his wife was taking advantage of her position and his position to perpetrate this fraud. He never thought to question her when the money was flowing in to their accounts? I'm sure they were paid handsomely for the work they did, didn't it down on him that his net worth was growing at an un-natural rate? Or was she hiding the money off shore and they have a golden parachute to fall from grace with?
I hope they put Ms. Ross away for the maximum allowed by law. They were put in positions of trust and they (she) lost their (her) moral compass when they (she) found loopholes in the system. In the end they are going to have everything of value taken from them.

Good sentence. | 10:13 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

Nice to see some judicial and prosecutorial restraint. For his part in this crime, I'm perfectly comfortable with the sentence this guy received. His wife is the one who will get the joy of spending 120 months or so in a nice Federal Prison Camp.

Utah Dem | 10:18 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

Okay so these two have been involved in public education for a good number of years and most of us know you don't get RICH in public ed - so poor John just didn't quite get it when over three or four years they suddenly had an extra $4 mil - RIGHT!

to Think...before you speak - well judging others is a Christ-like quality that I do possess so I believe I can judge this thieves and liars. And no I am not in their shoes because I never will be, I happen to be an honest person, so nothing is coming around to me but thanks for being concerned.

lost in DC | 10:49 a.m. Nov. 5, 2009

I think since it's a federal court we don't get to vote to unseat this judge. He cites the criminal's poor health. BAH! Isn't that why Scotland let go the Lockerbie bomber?

What I find astounding is this creton's attempt to blame the school district for his criminality. "if they had better controls, we wouldn't have been able to get away with it" what a jerk. His wife should spend a looooong time simmering in prison.

Ogden | 1:33 p.m. Nov. 5, 2009

Poor John and his wife they should both get the chair. It is a sad day when people like them get off scott free for stealing public moneies. I hope they both lost there church membership. Thou shall not steal

Restitution | 3:05 p.m. Nov. 5, 2009

I am another disappointed reader. Where is the restitution?

If we can't get our tax dollars back from these two crooks, we need to look at who was supposed to be watching the hen house.

Are you serious?! | 4:43 p.m. Nov. 5, 2009

Did you actually think you wouldn't get caught? C'mon, man!

Tax payer | 9:15 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Does John think he was a contributor to the better good of education so he should not be punished when he took the kids money? Wow what a message the prosecutor and the judge has sent would be thieves by allowing these poor examples to be let off with a slap on the wrist!

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