On eve of federal fraud trial, charter school guilty plea:

On eve of federal fraud trial, charter school guilty plea

Charter school founder Dorothy June Brown faces more charges. (April Saul / Staff)

MARTHA WOODALL, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

LAST UPDATED: Wednesday, October 23, 2013, 2:01 AM
POSTED: Tuesday, October 22, 2013, 6:25 PM

PHILADELPHIA As jury selection was getting underway in the federal fraud trial of charter-school founder Dorothy June Brown and three former administrators, one of the administrators decided to plead guilty.

Joan Woods Chalker, 75, a top lieutenant in Brown's school network who worked with Brown for more than 20 years and served as a chief executive at one of her charters, pleaded guilty Monday to three counts of obstruction of justice.

She stood accused of conspiring with Brown and the others in a scheme to defraud four charter schools of $6.7 million, then staging a cover-up.
Chalker had faced multiple counts that included conspiracy to obstruct justice and wire fraud. She changed her plea in a hearing before U.S. District Judge R. Barclay Surrick.

He scheduled sentencing for Jan. 29.

It could not be learned whether Chalker had agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and testify against Brown and the other defendants.

Joseph G. Poluka, Chalker's lead lawyer, declined to comment Tuesday on the terms of her plea because they are under court seal.

Patricia Hartman, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's