The first of three former senior officials at troubled Texas Southern University to go to trial was found guilty today on charges of misusing public funds.
Quintin Wiggins, the onetime chief financial officer of the historically black university in Houston, was convicted on one count of misapplication of fiduciary property over $200,000. The Houston Chronicle reports that he may face a prison term of five to 99 years, or life. The jury that convicted Mr. Wiggins was hearing evidence this afternoon in the sentencing portion of his trial.
Mr. Wiggins was convicted after prosecutors said he allowed state money to be used to pay for landscaping, furniture, and a security system at a home being built by Priscilla D. Slade, who was then the university’s president. She faces trial on August 10. The former vice president, Bruce Wilson, is scheduled to go on trial in September.
The university is now seeking a financial bailout from the state. Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican, asked all nine members of the university’s Board of Regents to resign. This week, at least eight, including the board’s chairwoman, have complied. —-Martin Van Der Werf
