COLUMBUS — Former charter school treasurer Carl Shye is facing federal chargers of embezzling $472,579 from four Ohio schools, including two in Dayton, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.

The charges say Shye embezzled the funds from the now-closed Nu Bethel Center of Excellence and New City Community school in Dayton, as well as two other schools in Columbus and Youngstown, between 2005 and 2011.

Shye, of New Albany, is expected to plead guilty at his June 21 arraignment in federal court in Columbus, according to a plea agreement signed by Shye and filed Thursday. He could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, in addition to restitution in the amount he’s accused of embezzling.

Shye also will agree to a civil judgment settling $671,860 in misspent funds he is listed as liable for after state audits of 17 schools. In the past 10 years, the state has issued 62 findings for recovery against him totaling more than $1 million, some of which has been repaid.

“School treasurers bear the solemn responsibility of protecting public funds,” said Carter Stewart, U.S. attorney for the southern district of Ohio, at a press conference on the lawn of the federal courthouse in Columbus this morning.

“Shye is accused of willfully and negligently abusing that position of public trust.”

Ohio Auditor of State Dave Yost said the federal investigation began shortly after Yost took office in January 2011. Yost said he noticed a “pattern of behavior” in auditing schools of which Shye was treasurer.

“We had all these problem audits and his name kept coming up,” Yost said.

Shye has been treasurer of at least nine charter schools across the state. In addition to Nu Bethel and New City, he was also treasurer of the defunct Colin Powell Academy and PETE Academy in Dayton, according to Dayton Daily News archives.

On Thursday, Yost announced another $95,139 in findings for recovery against Shye from three more charter schools in Franklin, Cuyahoga and Lorain counties. They include undocumented cash withdrawals, checks for vendors not supported by valid contracts and payroll advances to school administrators.

“Too many times and in too many community schools, the road leads to Carl Shye,” Yost said. “The criminal charge filed against him today marks the dead-end of his pattern of abuse against taxpayers.”

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