Jarrett Maupin II announced he will resign from his post on the Phoenix Union High School Governing Board two days after a judge set a date for him to plead guilty to a federal felony. The young community activist and former Phoenix mayoral candidate was indicted in February for making a false report to a federal law enforcement officer.
Whether the decisions to resign and pending guilty plea are related, we can't tell you. But if they aren't, the timing sure is coincidental. His Phoenix attorney declined comment on the federal criminal case, and Maupin hasn't returned a message left this afternoon by New Times.
The high school district put out a news release today announcing Maupin had submitted a resignation letter on April 17.
"Maupin, 21, plans to pursue a career opportunity which requires him to be away from Phoenix, according to the letter," says the news release. The South Phoenix representative was elected to the seven-member governing board in November of 2006 and was slated to serve till next year.
A check of the federal court site, Pacer, shows Maupin pleaded guilty apparently asked a judge on April 15 to set a change-of-plea hearing on his criminal charge. The hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. on April 28, in the courtroom of Judge Lawrence O. Anderson, 401 W. Washington in Phoenix. Maupin previously pleaded not guilty to the charge, so in all likelihood he will plead guilty -- officially -- on April 28.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Phoenix declined comment on the case.
If Maupin's plea agreement contains any mandated prison time, that would sort of explain why he'll be "away."
The Maricopa County Superintendent of Schools is charged with finding Maupin's replacement on the school governing board.
NOTE: Some minor changes were made to this post two hours after it was published. We misread the court records slightly -- Maupin did not plead guilty on April 15, as originally reported, but is set to plead guilty on April 28. He and his lawyer apparently decided to plead guilty on April 15, which would explain why the judge set the hearing date.
