Prison for E. Northport man in school fraud

A Long Island technology expert was sentenced to more than 3 years in prison Tuesday for ripping off $1.7 million from the New York City Department of Education through overbillings under a consulting contract to wire the schools for Internet access.

Manhattan U.S. District Judge George Daniels said Willard Lanham, 58, of East Northport, had taken advantage of a "bureaucratic mess" that opened the door to consultants who wanted to line their own pockets.

"This was a crime that was motivated by pure greed," Daniels said. "The way this unfolded it was a crime waiting to happen, and Mr. Lanham took advantage of it to the point of $1.7 million."

While being paid a $200,000 annual salary from 2002 to 2008 to oversee the schools' Project Connect, Lanham was accused of using his position to take excessive markups on consulting contracts with his brother and others. Prosecutors said he spent the money on a lavish lifestyle and real estate ventures on Long Island.

He was convicted by a jury in March on four counts of mail fraud and theft. Daniels sentenced him to 37 months in prison, and ordered him to forfeit $1.7 million, while expressing doubts about whether Lanham would ever have that kind of money. He gave him until Dec. 7 to surrender.

In his statement to the judge, Lanham insisted he was innocent. He said he was only following practices and procedures developed by other Department of Education consultants, and said he still took "a great deal of pride" in having provided what he claimed was $27 million in savings by providing Internet access for 28,000 students.

"Regardless of the decision at trial, I know in my heart the truth about the events and decisions that took place . . . ten years ago, because I lived it," Lanham said.

He also asked Daniels to keep him out of prison so that he could care for his teenage daughter. He told reporters after the sentencing that he was recently divorced from his wife and his mansion in East Northport is in foreclosure.

"It's really taking a toll on her," he said.

Lanham's attorney said he will appeal, and will seek a delay in any prison time until the appeal is heard.