Art gallery ownersentenced to seven years in prison

Detroit— Art gallery owner Sherry Washington was sentenced Thursday to seven years in prison for her role in a fraud and kickback scheme and ordered to pay $3.32 million to the cash-strapped Detroit Public School District.

U.S. District Judge Paul Borman called Washington's conduct "terrible," but stopped short of sentencing her to the 10 years requested by federal prosecutors. He did not believe the public needs to be protected from Washington committing other crimes.

"This was continuing, criminal, secretive, fraudulent conduct involving kickbacks," Borman said.

Minutes earlier, Washington begged for mercy.

"I am deeply apologetic for getting myself into this situation," she told the judge. "I am very sorry for the hurt and great pain I have caused to my family and this community. I pray and plead for your mercy."

After being sentenced, Washington sobbed at the defense table, holding her head in her hands long after the judge, prosecution team and her supporters left the courtroom.

Washington's lawyer said she plans to appeal the sentence.

There was no answer at the Sherry Washington Gallery on Friday and it is uncertain how the business will continue to operate.

The sentence comes almost four months after a jury convicted Washington of conspiracy to commit program fraud and conspiracy to launder money. Washington was accused of helping raid more than $3 million from the district and paying $150,000 in kickbacks to schools executive Stephen Hill.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Buckley, who labeled Washington a thief, said he was satisfied and said the millions stolen by Washington could have been spent on laptop computers, field trips, books or teacher salaries.

"Justice was done," Buckley said.

Washington and her sister, Gwendolyn Washington, were partners in Associates for Learning, a vendor hired to administer a health-awareness program for district employees.

The program was supposed to cost $150,000. But the company submitted three inflated and fraudulent invoices, each for about $1 million, according to prosecutors.

DPS paid the money, 5 percent of which went to former schools executive Stephen Hill. Washington delivered the kickbacks to Hill inside her gallery, at her home, and in a covered parking garage at the Detroit Athletic Club.

Washington was the only one of nine defendants charged in the case to stand trial in U.S. District Court in Detroit.

Seven others have pleaded guilty, while another defendant, former DPS employee Christina Polk-Osumah, died.

Hill was sentenced to five years in prison last month.

Minutes before Washington was sentenced, Borman sentenced her sister's niece, Detroit resident Virginia Dillard, to more than nine years in prison for a separate drug case.

The following codefendants were sentenced to various prison terms, including:

Sally Jo Bond: 18 months in prison and $3.32 million restitution.

Marilyn White: 21 months in prison and $3.32 million restitution.

Duane Polk: 27 months in prison and $788,674 restitution.

Valerie Polk: 18 months in prison and $347,746 restitution.

Thomas Taylor: one year and a day in prison and $440,928 restitution.

Gwendolyn Washington: She will be sentenced Nov. 14.