Marion 2 school superintendent accused of embezzling $500,000

Marion School District 2 Superintendent Dr. Nathaniel Miller has been arrested after a brief grand jury investigation revealed more than half a million dollars has been stolen from its coffers.

Miller, 59, of 206 Azalea Drive, Mullins, is charged with embezzlement of public funds, according to a State Law Enforcement Division press release. If convicted of the felony, he faces up to 20 years in prison and fines at the discretion of the court.

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Click here to read the arrest warrant.

According to the arrest warrant, Miller converted $503,199.50 of Marion 2’s money for his personal use between March 2006 “to on or about January 2010.” That usage includes paying mortgages, college tuition and rent for his children. As superintendent, he was charged with the safekeeping, transfer and disbursement of Marion 2 funds, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

Miller turned himself in to SLED agents Friday afternoon at the Richland County Courthouse in Columbia. His arrest warrant lists a second address for him at 11 Skyland Court, Columbia.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Miller “provided a voluntary statement to law enforcement on Jaunary 13, 2010, which indicated he converted the funds for personal use. The state has independent evidence to corroborate the statement provided by Nathaniel Miller.”

Third Circuit Court Judge Thomas Cooper set a $75,000 bond for Miller and ordered him to surrender his passport. Miller is being represented by Columbia attorney Neal Laurie, who represented South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia when he faced misdemeanor charges.

The FBI Columbia Division’s Public Corruption Task Force has assisted with the investigation, which is continuing.

The S.C. Attorney General’s Office will prosecute Miller. Twelfth Circuit Solicitor Ed Clements III said Thursday he called the state Attorney General’s Office last week and asked them to handle the case through the state grand jury.

The Mullins-based Marion 2 Board of Trustees placed Miller on administrative leave with full pay and benefits pending the investigation. The board took the action following an emergency closed door meeting Wednesday night, according to a press release from Marion 2 public information officer Gail P. Fowler.

Miller began his tenure as the district’s superintendent Jan. 9, 2006.

Marion 2’s director of curriculum and instruction, Nancy Grice, accepted an offer from district officials to serve as acting superintendent, Fowler said Thursday.

The district will share information as it becomes available and to the extent that it does not interfere with the investigation, according to the release.

The board is unable to comment further on the matter because of the status and nature of the grand jury proceedings, the release said.

“It is basically business as usual in the district and our goal is to make certain that our students have the best education possible, so we will continue to give that education,” Fowler said. “We won’t skip a beat as far as that’s concerned.”

Miller was named Marion 2 superintendent in November 2005 after a search that lasted more than a year. Members of the board at the time said he was chosen because of his vision for the district and his track record.

Miller has more than 30 years of educational leadership and teaching experience. Before coming to Marion 2, he was one of three Richland County District 1 superintendents, supervising Columbia, Eau Claire, Alternative Schools and Adult & Community Education. He also was an adjunct professor at the School of Business at Webster University in Columbia.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from Atlantic Union College in Massachusetts, a Master of Arts in educational administration from Andrews University in Michigan and a Doctor of Philosophy in educational administration and leadership from Georgia State University.

In an interview conducted days before his tenure began, Miller told the Morning News he wanted to work aggressively toward enhancing student achievement in the district. He said when he was looking at becoming superintendent, he looked at student achievement, report cards and the schools themselves and saw there was something extra he could bring to the table.

“I love to see people succeed,” he said. “The students have to succeed in order for Mullins to grow.”

Miller said his ultimate goal was for Marion 2 to be a “world-class school system.”