DA silent on possible charges against MACSA

The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office will issue a Public Integrity Unit Decision Thursday regarding the Mexican American Community Services Agency, a San Jose-based organization known as MACSA whose former Gilroy charter school leaders are being investigated for misappropriation and embezzlement of school funds.

When asked if the DA’s Office will file any charges against MACSA’s former leaders, District Attorney Jeff Rosen repeated “the press conference is tomorrow at 11 a.m.”

Rosen said calling ahead of the press conference to ask questions “is very unprofessional.”

Allegations of MACSA’s crippling mismanagement and financial scandal arose in 2009 when complaints surfaced at the agency’s two charter schools, Academia Calmecac in San Jose and the now defunct El Portal Leadership Academy on IOOF Avenue in Gilroy. 

As workers discovered their pension system had not been properly credited with money deducted from their paychecks, it came to light employers had been skimming from wages to cover operating costs. El Portal later shut down in 2009.

The news conference will take place from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Thursday at the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, located at 70 West Hedding St. in San Jose. District Attorney Jeff Rosen and John Chase, Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney with the Public Integrity Unit, will discuss the conclusions of the DA’s investigation into MACSA, according to the press release.