COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Felony cases against former Quincy Superintendent of Schools Craig Artist and current Business Manager Cheryl Globke have been dismissed by the Branch County Prosecutor’s Office.
The dismissals came as Artist appeared for Branch County District Court hearings Tuesday, after he was charged in July 2017 with a felony count of Public Money Safekeeping and a misdemeanor count of Child Abuse-Failure to Report.
Globke was facing the same felony charge until prosecutors decided not to pursue the case any further following a preliminary exam in Artist’s case on Tuesday.
While the felony case against Artist has been dismissed, a pre-trial conference on the misdemeanor has been scheduled for November 7, 2017.
Artist resigned as Superintendent in July after a controversy erupted over the way Quincy School District officials handled sexual misconduct allegations against former teacher Jason Ferrell.
The felony case was filed after authorities claimed Ferrell got a $7,600 payment after he resigned last January.
Artist has entered a not guilty plea to the misdemeanor count.
Quincy High School Principal David Spalding is facing the same misdemeanor charge. A pre-trial conference in his case is scheduled for next Tuesday, October 10.
Ferrell is scheduled to go on trial in Branch County Circuit Court December 5, 2017. He is facing six charges of criminal sexual conduct including two first degree counts for alleged incidents involving one of his former female students.
