GLENDALE – Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced today that Vernal “Vern” Lee Crow, of Glendale, has been indicted on four felony counts of Conflict of Interest in connection with his appointed position as a member of the Arizona School Facilities Board (SFB). Crow is alleged to have failed to disclose his interest and his son’s interest in Red Tree Consulting LLC (Red Tree), a construction consulting company that benefited from three projects awarded by the SFB while Crow was a participating board member.
Crow previously owned Red Tree jointly with his son Michael until 2017. After 2017, Crow’s son was still an owner of Red Tree. Crow no longer serves on the SFB.
The indictment covers three individual items which were handled by the SFB in March of 2016, September of 2017, and November of 2017, while Crow served as a member of the appointed board. The case arose in part from a Performance Special Audit of the SFB by the Arizona Auditor General’s Office (#19-105).
In March of 2016, Crow allegedly failed to disclose his and his son Michael’s ownership of Red Tree despite participating in a decision by the SFB to provide funding to replace exterior piping at Taylor Elementary School. Red Tree benefited approximately $12,050 from the project.
Later in September 2017, Crow allegedly failed to disclose that his son Michael was the owner of Red Tree when he participated in a decision by the SFB to provide funding to renovate the roof at Desert Winds Learning Center in Casa Grande. Red Tree benefited approximately $24,700 from the awarded project.
And in November 2017, Crow allegedly again failed to disclose his son’s interest in Red Tree when he participated in a decision by the SFB to provide funding to replace exterior doors at Flowing Wells Junior High School in Tucson. Red Tree benefited approximately $6,500 from the project.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Lawson is prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office Special Investigations Section.
