Fairfax board member pleads not guilty to embezzlement, conflict of interest charges
Sep. 30—Controversy and constituents' concerns have surrounded Fairfax School District board member Palmer Moland since his 2018 election, with a recall effort, a Kern County grand jury report and state auditors all questioning his actions from the dais.
On Thursday, he was asked to answer to criminal charges in Kern County Superior Court regarding a number of the allegations made against him.
Moland, 34, was arraigned following a Kern County District Attorney's Office complaint that charged him with seven felonies, including embezzlement by a public officer, conflict of interest charges and violations of state election law.
Deputy Public Defender Kelsey Stout, acting on Moland's behalf, entered not-guilty pleas on all counts.
Moland faces charges related to hiring an outside law firm using district funds, which violates bylaws, and allegations the law firm's employment constituted a financial conflict of interest, according to a news release from the DA's office. The law firm was hired to suppress a motion seeking to censure him and limit public records requests related to the matter, the news release added.
The DA's news release also accused Moland of living outside the district when he submitted filings with the county Elections Division. The DA's complaint notes that Moland filed his declaration of candidacy despite "knowing that it or any part of it was false."
Moland's family members who attended the arraignment declined to comment. The other four Fairfax board members did not return a request for comment Thursday, except trustee Virginia Lawson, who declined to comment.
Fairfax School District Superintendent Lora Brown emailed a statement in response to questions from The Californian.
"As a public institution, the district is concerned by the nature of the charges," the statement read. "The district has been cooperating with the District Attorney's Office, and will continue to do so. The district is also evaluating what, if any, immediate actions by the district are necessitated by this development."
Brown added in the statement that the district's commitment to educating and supporting its students is the top priority for leadership and staff.
Robert Meszaros, spokesman for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, said the office received allegations of "fiscal improprieties" from the Fairfax district in June 2021. The following month, it asked the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team to conduct an audit that ultimately found Moland may have committed fraud.
"If, following the audit, the county superintendent believes there is evidence that fraud, misappropriation or other illegal fiscal practices may have occurred, the superintendent must notify the district, the state controller, the superintendent of public instruction and the local district attorney," Meszaros added.
Court Commissioner Roger H. Ponce removed Moland's bail at Thursday's hearing, which had been set at $35,000 after Moland's arrest Tuesday. Ponce cited Moland's lack of criminal history and noted he posed no threat to public safety based on his charges because they were nonviolent in nature.
Deputy District Attorney Greg Kohler had requested the defendant's bail remain at $35,000 because Moland's address wasn't certain, which causes him to be a flight risk.
After removing his bail, Ponce said entering Moland into a pretrial monitoring program could address Kohler's concerns about being a flight risk.
A pre-preliminary hearing was set for Oct. 10 and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for the next day.
You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @_ishanidesai on Twitter.
