Couch, 55, of Vian pleaded guilty on May 28 to embezzlement of government funds and making and subscribing a false tax return. A criminal forfeiture count was dropped after Couch, in July, made over $1 million in restitution to the school.
Couch was charged last year in Sequoyah County District Court in Sallisaw with embezzlement of $100,000 of school money for an alleged personal land purchase. An investigative audit of school records released earlier this year revealed nearly $1 million in questionable expenditures at the school over the past 10 years.
A pre-sentence report was ordered during Couch's May plea. Currently Couch is free on bond. He faces up to 10 years in prison on the embezzlement count and up to three years in prison for the tax-related charge.
In an e-mailed response Thursday, Sperling said his office has no objections to the pre-sentencing report and as far as he is aware, the defendant has not lodged any objections either.
"We expect the court to set a sentencing date," Sperling reported, adding he did not know when that date will be.
