Reiner Accuses 4 School Workers of $500,000 Theft

Dist. Atty. Ira Reiner, charging that inventory records of the Los Angeles Unified School District are “worthless” and are impeding his investigation, announced the filing of felony theft charges today against four district employees.

Reiner said his investigators had found that the alleged thieves--including the director of the district’s custodians--kept better records of the disposition of school property than the school district does.

Charged today in connection with what Reiner said was “at the very minimum” more than $500,000 in thefts, were James Leroy Riley, 55, director of the school district’s Operations (custodial) branch, his chief deputy, Melvin Noelani Tokunaga, 42, and two lower level employees of the district, Robert Jose Barrios, 34, and Joseph Brazile, 53.

A school district spokesman, Bill Rivera, branded the district attorney’s charges “typical Reiner rhetoric,” but promised a more comprehensive response later.

Reiner said the investigation is continuing and “a substantial number of district employees are target suspects.” He called on district employees to come forward to help the investigation and promised the matter will be pursued to the fullest.