A Center ISD employee is to stand trial in November five years after being indicted on three counts of fraudulent use of identifying information by a Nacogdoches County Grand Jury.

According to an article in today’s Light and Champion, a secretary at Center High School, Retena Harrison-Hartsfield was placed on administrative leave with pay in May by Center ISD when they discovered the District Attorney would prosecute.

Superintendent Dr. James Hockenberry said in the article that the school district did not know of any charges against Ms. Harrison-Hartsfield when she was hired in 2006.

She was indicted in January 2008, and Dr. Hockenberry said it was an article that appeared in the Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel last August that made the district aware of the charges.

The indictment says Ms. Harrison-Hartsfield used a social security number obtained from former Garrison High School student/athlete Brandon Walker in April 2001 to open credit card accounts in his name. Reportedly, while a senior, Walker and other students were assisted by his basketball coach Hiram Harrison, and his wife Retena Harrison-Hartsfield to complete ACT forms.

Walker said he became aware of the issue while at college in Natchitoches when he had problems renting because of bad credit. Walker also said he confronted her and she confessed and explained why she did it.

Ms. Harrison-Hartsfield is represented by Center attorney and Center ISD Trustee, Stephen Shires.