I am gratified that we are moving towards justice in what may be a case of egregious fraud in our community, and grateful that our extraordinarily collaborative partnership between local and federal agencies in Madera County is playing a major part in this result.
On July 17, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Nicholas Retana, former executive director of the Ezequiel Tafoya Alvarado Academy (ETAA), with embezzlement, exposing him to up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
Retana is accused of stealing and misusing taxpayer money intended for educating children at the charter school, among other questionable activities that go back to 2016. He was terminated from his position in January of 2020.