Heritage to Hope was awarded the funds on May 17, 2001. Pettagrue is accused of causing a check for $8,000 to be written to McClain the next day.
Four other grants ranging from $65,000 to $100,000 were awarded to Heritage to Hope in this way, with McClain receiving between $13,500 to $48,000 from each, Martin said.
The Department of Postsecondary Education grants were given to Bessemer State Technical College so it could offer an online General Equivalency Diploma program.
To get the grant, Bessemer had to commit to a partnership with a faith-based community organization to assist with the program. McClain is accused of working to ensure Heritage to Hope would be selected.
The prosecutor said the foundation received two contracts for $100,000 and a third for $130,000 to help market and run the online GED program.
McClain said he had never considered the consulting agreement with Pettagrue’s organization to be crossing the line.
“It was a legal arrangement,” he said.
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