Two employees from Broward County Public Schools are facing jail time after allegations surfaced of them using school facilities for their own financial gain. Accused of conducting unauthorized basketball tournaments at district gymnasiums, Henry McNabb, 42, and Brenton Hankerson, 43, were taken into custody and presented before a judge this week. According to Local 10 News, deputies have stated that the pair did not go through the required channels to use the facilities and charged admission for attendance at these events.
The issues came to light when the principal of Youth Under Construction school, Delvin King, stumbled upon one such tournament at Blanche Ely High School while attempting to set up for a school graduation. "I came in and there was a whole basketball tournament going on here at Blanche Ely High School," King told Local 10 News. He was the only person who had rented the gym, as per the official calendar. This led to an investigation that uncovered the alleged scheme by McNabb and Hankerson to deceitfully rent out the gyms, generating personal profits.
Arrest affidavits indicate that McNabb and Hankerson, coaches at Blanche Ely and Coral Springs High Schools respectively, arranged several such tournaments. They were reportedly paid directly through Zelle by outside basketball associations, bypassing the district's system and controls. Through their clandestine operations, Hankerson was able to accumulate a profit of $5,950 while McNabb made $5,200, stated the affidavits, cited by NBC Miami. Meanwhile, the district was deprived of potential revenue amounting to almost $25,000 from the respective schools.
The Broward County Public Schools released a statement confirming the arrests and emphasizing their zero-tolerance stance towards public corruption. "Both employees in question were arrested by Broward Schools Police as part of an investigation into the improper use of district facilities for personal gain," confirmed officials from the district to NBC Miami. As the case progresses, McNabb and Hankerson could potentially be subject to termination, pending the outcomes of their judicial proceedings. Bond for each was set at $15,000, with Hankerson having already posted his and been released.
