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Two former Patterson school district administrators sentenced in $1.5 million embezzlement scheme
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SACRAMENTO — Two former administrators with the Patterson Joint Unified School District were sentenced Wednesday to federal prison for stealing more than $1.5 million from the district through a years‑long embezzlement scheme, federal prosecutors said.

Jeffrey Menge, 45, of Copperopolis, the district’s former assistant superintendent and chief business officer, was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Eric Drabert, 46, of Modesto, the district’s former IT director, was sentenced to 18 months. Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez handed down the sentences, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.

“These defendants were entrusted with safeguarding resources meant to educate and support children; instead, they stole $1.5 million for their own benefit,” Grant said in a statement. “Today’s sentencing affirms that when those in positions of authority abuse the public trust, they will be held accountable.”

FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel said the pair “betrayed the students, families, and taxpayers of Patterson by exploiting their positions of trust to steal from a school district.”

According to court documents, Menge and Drabert carried out the scheme between 2018 and 2022. Menge controlled a Nevada‑based company, CenCal Tech LLC, which he used to circumvent conflict‑of‑interest rules. To hide his involvement, he created a fictitious executive named “Frank Barnes.” Prosecutors said the men used CenCal Tech to submit fraudulent invoices to the district, including double billing, overbilling and billing for items never delivered.

The two also stole in other ways, including purchasing high‑end graphics cards and using district property and electricity to run a cryptocurrency mining operation without permission. Menge additionally misused district vehicles, including buying a Chevy truck at below‑market value and reselling it for profit, and using a Ford Transit van as his personal vehicle.

In total, Menge embezzled about $1.5 million, which prosecutors said he used to remodel his home and buy luxury cars, including a Ferrari 458, an Audi R8 and a Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Drabert stole approximately $276,000, using some of the funds to remodel his vacation cabin.

The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph D. Barton and Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.