No plea yet in case against Atlanta charter school founder

A final plea in a case against an Atlanta charter school founder charged with stealing at least $1.3 million has been delayed.

Christopher Clemons, 39, who founded Latin Academy Charter School, had been scheduled for a final plea Tuesday, but the date of his next Fulton County Superior Court hearing has been moved to Jan. 23. His defense attorney was not in court Tuesday, but Fulton County deputy district attorney Brad Malkin told the judge he expected the case to conclude with a non-negotiated guilty plea.

There are two pending criminal cases against Clemons. In the first, he faces 48 counts of theft and forgery linked to an alleged theft of roughly $800,000 from Latin Academy. He was indicted in September on an additional seven counts, including charges related to thefts from Latin Grammar School and Latin College Preparatory School.

Clemons could face a maximum sentence of 865 years in prison and a $5.5 million fine if convicted on all counts in the two indictments.

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