Photo by Steven Marsh | Franklin News-Post

Steve Flora (left), seen with his attorney William Davis, has struck a plea agreement in which he admits taking items from the convenience store where he worked. Under the terms of the agreement, he will have to pay $1,000 in restitution but will not have to spend time in jail..

ROCKY MOUNT -- A former Franklin County School Board member pleaded guilty Friday to embezzling money from the Penhook Minute Market where he worked as a manager.

As a part of plea agreement reached in the Franklin County Circuit Court, Steve Flora will be required to pay $1,000 in restitution but will not face jail time. His formal sentencing is June 3.

"We are very, very pleased that he accepted responsibility," said Henry County Commonwealth's Attorney Bob Bushnell, who acted as a special prosecutor for the case. "It's extremely important in cases like these."

Bushnell stepped in after Franklin County Commonwealth's Attorney Cliff Hapgood recused himself because Flora had been a witness for him in past cases.

Flora, 54, refused to comment as he walked out of the courtroom.

Store owner Danny Perdue was not in the courtroom and could not be reached for comment.

On April 1, a grand jury indicted Flora on a charge of felony grand larceny by embezzlement.

Grand larceny is often the charge brought when the value of stolen property exceeds $200, Bushnell said. It carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.

"It's clear that he stole well over the $1,000 that we are asking for," Bushnell said. "Mr. Perdue just wanted him to publicly acknowledge that he is a thief and what he did was a felony."

In evidence presented to the court, Bushnell accused Flora of stealing "hundreds of dollars" from the store from 1996 until May 2007.

Bushnell said Flora purportedly took money from the store to pay distributors including Smith Seeds, a gardening supplies store in Danville, for deliveries made to the store. But none of those companies ever made deliveries there or accepted money from Flora.

In another instance Flora took the company checkbook, went to Wal-Mart and purchased small items such as shampoo, Bushnell said.

"He basically filled up his own medicine cabinet with Danny Perdue's money," Bushnell said.

Bushnell said Flora stole gas from the store and even put his wife and daughter on the payroll there without them doing any work.

The final straw came in May 2007 when Flora "walked out of the store with lots and lots of property" including several bottles of wine, Bushnell said.

Flora was terminated a week after that incident and an investigation into the case began in September, Bushnell said.

Flora's attorney, William Davis, said in court that if the case had gone to trial the defense would have disputed the magnitude of the offenses. Most of the instances "could be explained or were an innocent mistake," he said.

Judge William Alexander, who presided over the case, reminded Davis that as part of his guilty plea, Flora had to take responsibility for all of the offenses.

Flora served on the school board for 14 years and resigned in March citing family commitments.

But Bushnell said it was evident that Flora resigned in anticipation of a grand jury indictment and a guilty plea.

After prosecutors presented Davis with evidence in the case, Flora agreed to plead guilty, Bushnell said. That occurred before he resigned from the school board.

"His resignation was not a part of the plea agreement," Bushnell said. "But it was part of his accepting responsibility."

Bushnell said it was important to note that investigators had uncovered no evidence to show Flora stole money from the school board.

Flora received $400 a month and up to $3,800 a year in health benefits as a member of the school board.

Alexander's wife, Sarah, was chosen to temporarily fill the position vacated by Flora.

The seat will be permanently filled in November's elections.