[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 146 (Monday, July 30, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44615-44616]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-18430]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[DA 12-1171]


Notice of Debarment

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Enforcement Bureau (the ``Bureau'') debars Ms. Gloria F. 
Harper from the schools and libraries universal service support 
mechanism (or ``E-Rate Program'') for a period of three years. The 
Bureau takes this action to protect the E-Rate Program from waste, 
fraud, and abuse.

DATES: Debarment commences on the date Ms. Gloria F. Harper receives 
the debarment letter or August 29, 2012, whichever date comes first, 
for a period of three years.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joy M. Ragsdale, Attorney Advisor, 
Federal Communications Commission, Enforcement Bureau, Investigations 
and Hearings Division, Room 4-C330, 445 12th Street SW., Washington, DC 
20554. Joy Ragsdale may be contacted by telephone at (202) 418-1697 or 
by email at [email protected]. If Ms. Ragsdale is unavailable, you 
may contact Ms. Theresa Cavanaugh, Chief, Investigations and Hearings 
Division, by telephone at (202) 418-1420 and by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bureau debarred Ms. Gloria F. Harper 
from the schools and libraries service support mechanism for a period 
of three years pursuant to 47 CFR 54.8. Attached is the debarment 
letter, DA 12-1171, which was mailed to Ms. Harper and released on July 
20, 2012. The complete text of the notice of debarment is available for 
public inspection and copying during regular business hours at the FCC 
Reference Information Center, Portal II, 445 12th Street SW., Room CY-
A257, Washington, DC 20554. In addition, the complete text is available 
on the FCC's Web site at http://www.fcc.gov. The text may also be 
purchased from the Commission's duplicating inspection and copying 
during regular business hours at the contractor, Best Copy and 
Printing, Inc., Portal II, 445 12th Street SW., Room CY-B420, 
Washington, DC 20554, telephone (202) 488-5300 or (800) 378-3160, 
facsimile (202) 488-5563, or via email http://www.bcpiweb.com.

Federal Communications Commission.
Theresa Z. Cavanaugh,
Chief, Investigations and Hearings Division, Enforcement Bureau.
July 20, 2012

DA 12-1171

VIA CERTIFIED MAIL RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED AND EMAIL
Ms. Gloria F. Harper, c/o Ms. Cynthia Marie Cimino, Federal Public 
Defender, Hale Boggs Federal Building, 500 Poydras Street, Room 318, 
New Orleans, LA 70130.
Re: Notice of Debarment, File No. EB-12-IH-0400
    Dear Ms. Harper: The Federal Communications Commission 
(Commission)

[[Page 44616]]

hereby notifies you that, pursuant to Sec.  54.8 of its rules, you 
are prohibited from participating in the schools and libraries 
universal service support mechanism (E-Rate program) for three years 
from either the date of your receipt of this Notice of Debarment, or 
of its publication in the Federal Register, whichever is earlier in 
time (Debarment Date).\1\
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    \1\ 47 CFR 54.8(g). See also 47 CFR 0.111 (delegating authority 
to the Enforcement Bureau to resolve universal service suspension 
and debarment proceedings).
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    On March 22, 2012, the Commission's Enforcement Bureau (Bureau) 
sent you a Notice of Suspension and Initiation of Debarment 
Proceeding (Notice of Suspension) \2\ that was published in the 
Federal Register on April 23, 2012.\3\ The Notice of Suspension 
suspended you from participating in activities associated with or 
relating to the E-Rate program. It also described the basis for 
initiating debarment proceedings against you, the applicable 
debarment procedures, and the effect of debarment.
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    \2\ Letter from Theresa Z. Cavanaugh, Acting Chief, 
Investigations and Hearings Division, Enforcement Bureau, Federal 
Communications Commission, to Ms. Gloria F. Harper, Notice of 
Suspension and Initiation of Debarment Proceeding, 27 FCC Rcd 2888 
(Enf. Bur. 2012) (Attachment 1).
    \3\ 77 Fed Reg 24202 (Apr. 23, 2012).
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    As discussed in the Notice of Suspension, in June 2011 you pled 
guilty to conspiring with others to fraudulently obtain $4.5 million 
in E-Rate contracts through your companies, Computer Training and 
Associates and Global Networking Technologies.\4\ In addition, you 
admitted to bribing school officials in exchange for control of the 
E-Rate application and competitive bidding process.\5\ Your 
fraudulent scheme adversely affected 20 schools and school districts 
located throughout six states.\6\ Pursuant to Sec.  54.8(c) of the 
Commission's rules, your conviction of criminal conduct in 
connection with the E-Rate program is the basis for this 
debarment.\7\
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    \4\ United States v. Gloria F. Harper, Criminal Docket No. 2:10-
cr-00326-CJB-ALC, Plea Agreement at 3-5 (E.D. La. entered June 6, 
2011).
    \5\ Id. at 4.
    \6\ Id. at 5. See Appendix.
    \7\ 47 CFR 54.8(c).
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    In accordance with the Commission's debarment rules, you were 
required to file with the Commission any opposition to your 
suspension or its scope, or to your proposed debarment or its scope, 
no later than 30 calendar days from either the date of your receipt 
of the Notice of Suspension or of its publication in the Federal 
Register, whichever date occurred first.\8\ The Commission did not 
receive any such opposition.
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    \8\ 47 CFR 54.8(e)(3), (4). Any opposition had to be filed no 
later than April 21, 2012.
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    For the foregoing reasons, you are debarred from participating 
in the E-Rate program for three years from the Debarment Date.\9\ 
During this period, you are excluded from participating in any 
activities associated with or related to the E-Rate program, 
including the receipt of funds or discounted services through the E-
Rate program, or consulting with, assisting, or advising applicants 
or service providers regarding the E-Rate program.\10\
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    \9\ Id. 54.8(e)(5), (g).
    \10\ Id. 54.8(a)(1), (5), (d).
    \11\ United States v. Gloria F. Harper, Criminal Docket No. 
2:10-cr-00326-CJB-ALC, Factual Basis at 2-3.
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     Sincerely,

Theresa Z. Cavanaugh,

Chief, Investigations and Hearings Division, Enforcement Bureau.
cc: Johnnay Schrieber, Universal Service Administrative Company (via 
email)
Rashann Duvall, Universal Service Administrative Company (via email)
Juan Rodriguez, Antitrust Division, United States Department of 
Justice (via email)
Stephanie Toussaint, Antitrust Division, United States Department of 
Justice (via email)

                                APPENDIX
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Schools and School Districts \11\              City and State
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All Saints School................  New Orleans, LA.
St. Augustine High School........  New Orleans, LA.
St. David School.................  New Orleans, LA.
St. Monica School................  New Orleans, LA.
Gould Public School District.....  Gould, AR.
Holly Grove Public School          Holly Grove, AR.
 District.
Antioch Center--St. Stephen's      Antioch, IL.
 Lutheran Church.
Fairfield Center.................  Round Lake Beach, IL.
Ingleside Center--Ingleside        Ingleside, IL.
 United Methodist Church.
St. Mary's Center--Libertyville    Libertyville, IL.
 Covenant Church.
Waukegan Center..................  Waukegan, IL.
Zion Center--Zion Benton High      Zion, IL.
 School.
Niles Terrace Center.............  Waukegan IL.
Wilmer--Hutchins Independent       Dallas, TX.
 School District.
Innovation Child Development       Tallahassee, FL.
 Center.
Innovation School of Excellence..  Tallahassee, FL.
Capital City School (also known    Tallahassee, FL.
 as Covenant Academy Preparatory
 School).
Whole Word Christian Academy.....  Miami, FL.
Twin Buttes Elementary School....  Halliday, ND.
White Shield School..............  Roseglen, ND.
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[FR Doc. 2012-18430 Filed 7-27-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P