Two members of the six-person group indicted earlier this year for their roles in a multiyear scheme to obtain state funds through fraudulent school enrollment numbers have announced plans to change their plea from not guilty to guilty, records show.

Former Limestone County Schools Superintendent Tom Sisk and retired public educator Greg Corkren each filed their notice Thursday in the U.S. District Court of the Middle District of Alabama. The two were among those who faced the fewest charges in the case, with Sisk indicted on a single count of conspiracy to commit wire or mail fraud and Corkren indicted on one count conspiracy to commit wire or mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

According to the indictment, Sisk was introduced to Corkren by Athens City Schools’ then-superintendent Trey Holladay in July 2016. That same month, Sisk recommended Limestone County Board of Education approve a contract with Educational Opportunities and Management LLC, Corkren’s company, for services provided to private school students who would be guest enrolled in Limestone County Virtual School.

However, officials have said parents and students did not know their information was being shared. At a press conference announcing the indictment in February, U.S. Attorney Louis Franklin said some of the scheme’s victims had never visited or even heard of Limestone County.

Meanwhile, Corkren and Sisk modified the agreement without board approval, leading to increased payments from the school system to Ed Op, which totaled more than $120,000 during the 2016-2017 school year. The indictment states Corkren used some of the money to make payments to private schools and to a charity affiliated with Sisk. The charity then wired about $13,000 to Sisk, according to the indictment.

The four other individuals named in the indictment are Holladay; retired ACS teacher and Holladay’s wife, Deborah Holladay; ACS Executive Director of Planning Rick Carter; and former Marengo Academy football coach Webb Tutt. Each is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail or wire fraud, with the Holladays and Carter facing additional charges of wire fraud and/or aggravated identity theft.

Trial is currently set for Sept. 13 in Montgomery before U.S. District Judge Myron H. Thompson. However, in light of Sisk and Corkren’s recent announcements, hearings regarding their plea change were tentatively scheduled for April via video teleconference.

If Sisk or Corkren decides they wish for the hearing to be held in person, the court could delay until the pandemic has lifted enough for it be safe to do so.

The News Courier will have more on Corkren’s role in the scheme, including his involvement with ACS, in the Tuesday print edition.