TUNICA, MS (abc24.com) - The man accused of orchestrating a massive test-taking ring for Mid-South teachers is in even more trouble.
Clarence Mumford faces 45 counts of conspiracy and fraud for helping teachers cheat on licensing exams. The feds dropped that bombshell Tuesday, July 10. Wednesday, Mumford had to appear in court for a whole other matter. He was arrested in Tunica three months ago.
In April, he was arrested in Tunica for driving drunk and exposing himself in public. It's his first DUI in Mississippi, but far from Mumford's first. Those charges are just the tip of the iceberg.
With multiple DUI's, abuse charges and forgery, Clarence Mumford's rap sheet dates back to the 1980s.
Apart from the school scandal, the most recent charges the 58-year-old faces happened on Highway 61 in Tunica, Mississippi. Mumford was ticketed April 6th near the casino strip for driving drunk and exposing himself on the side of the road. Deputies booked him into Tunica jail.
Mumford has two more DUI's on record; one in 1987, and a slew of charges in 2001 for DUI, reckless driving, public intoxication and leaving the scene of an accident.
Mumford's wife wouldn't talk Tuesday. He avoided our cameras.
Federal investigators say at least 50 people are involved in his test-taking scheme and that potential teachers paid him thousands to have someone else take their licensing exams.
"It was very elaborate. The more we investigated, the more we found," says Ed Stanton, III, U.S. Attorney.
The same could be said about Mumford's rap sheet.
There's reckless driving in 1992 without a driver's license. In 1996 he was accused of child abuse while an Assistant Principal at Humes Middle School. Mumford was charged with forgery in 2002 and 2010.
Also in 2010, he was arrested for sexually abusing a student - groping her and offering to pay for sex. At the time Mumford was a guidance counselor at Hillcrest High School.
Mumford is currently a Hughes, Arkansas school counselor. His lawyer refused to talk today.
Mumford's court date in Tunica was delayed indefinitely. One thing is certain, he has many more court dates in his future.
