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Sheryl Williams Stapleton Convicted in Federal Albuquerque Schools Case

KOAT reports the former New Mexico lawmaker has been convicted in the federal case over payments from Albuquerque Public Schools; no sentence has been reported.

3 reports on this incident · first at Aug 15, 2026, 1:14 a.m. ET

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 15, 2026, 1:23 a.m. ET
Sheryl Williams Stapleton has been in the federal case built around payments made by Albuquerque Public Schools, KOAT reported. The outlet reported the case involved charges of bribery, mail fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors claim Stapleton and Jeff Johnson worked together to obtain money through Albuquerque Public Schools, including federal dollars, according to KOAT. The district paid Johnson's company, Robotics Management Learning Systems, approximately $3.25 million from 2013 to 2021 for the Cyberquest computer program, and prosecutors say most of that was not spent on the program, with money kicked back to Stapleton through checks from Johnson's business. Stapleton is accused of using those checks to give more than $1.1 million to an Albuquerque restaurant she owned and to a nonprofit she and Johnson ran, KOAT reported. What penalty Stapleton will face has not been reported, and no sentencing date has been reported. The reporting available does not describe an outcome for Johnson.

Earlier reports

  1. Aug 15, 2026, 1:18 a.m. ET

    Sheryl Williams Stapleton Found Guilty in Federal Albuquerque Schools Case

    Sheryl Williams Stapleton has been found guilty in her federal case in Albuquerque, KOAT reported. The charges in the case included bribery, mail fraud and money laundering, according to the outlet.

    Prosecutors alleged that Stapleton and Jeff Johnson worked together to obtain money through Albuquerque Public Schools, including federal dollars, KOAT reported. According to that account, APS paid Johnson's company, Robotics Management Learning Systems, approximately $3.25 million between 2013 and 2021 for the Cyberquest computer program, most of which prosecutors say was not spent on the program, with money kicked back to Stapleton through checks from Johnson's business.

    Stapleton was accused of using those checks to give more than $1.1 million to an Albuquerque restaurant she owned and to a nonprofit she and Johnson ran, according to KOAT.

    A conviction is not a sentence. The available reporting does not state the specific counts on which the verdict was returned, whether the finding was made by a jury or a judge, or when sentencing will take place.

  2. Aug 15, 2026, 1:14 a.m. ETFirst report

    Sheryl Williams Stapleton Convicted in Federal Case Over Albuquerque Schools Payments

    Sheryl Williams Stapleton has been convicted in federal court, according to reporting by KOAT. The outlet reported that the case involved charges of bribery, mail fraud and money laundering. KOAT's report does not say how the verdict came down on each individual count, and it gives no sentencing date.

    According to KOAT's account of the prosecution's case, prosecutors claimed Stapleton and Jeff Johnson worked together to obtain money through Albuquerque Public Schools, including federal dollars. Prosecutors said the district paid Johnson's company, Robotics Management Learning Systems, approximately $3.25 million between 2013 and 2021 for the Cyberquest computer program, and that most of that money was not spent on the program.

    Prosecutors alleged that money was kicked back to Stapleton through checks from Johnson's business, and that Stapleton used those checks to give more than $1.1 million to an Albuquerque restaurant she owned and to a nonprofit she and Johnson ran, KOAT reported. Those are allegations as characterized by prosecutors in the outlet's reporting.

    KOAT's report includes no comment from Stapleton or her attorneys, and no information on the status of any case against Johnson.

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Revision history

  1. Version 115 Aug 2026, 05:18current

    First published.

  2. Version 115 Aug 2026, 05:14current

    First published.

  3. Version 115 Aug 2026, 05:23current

    First published.

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