Stapleton and Johnson Face Jury Verdict | Albuquerque News

A federal jury is now deciding the fate of former New Mexico lawmaker Sheryl Williams Stapleton and her co-defendant Joseph Johnson, accused of stealing over $2 million in education funds over eight years through a brazen scheme that blended public office with private business. Prosecutors paint them as a corrupt duo — Stapleton, inside government, greenlighting invoices for Johnson’s company while secretly steering funds into her own pockets and family businesses; Johnson, the outside face, allegedly unaware of how his checks were being misused. Defense attorneys argue it wasn’t conspiracy but theft — Johnson didn’t know what was happening, and Stapleton never admitted to taking taxpayer money. With closing arguments behind them, jurors must now weigh whether this was a calculated fraud or a tragic misunderstanding — and decide if justice will be served before Stapleton faces more charges in state court next month. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/103ee3d3bd419eba