Schools books scam nets New Jersey man 57 months in prison

A Gloucester County man has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison for mailing bogus invoices for workbooks to more than 70,000 schools across the country.

Robert Armstrong was sentenced to 57 months in federal court in Camden on Friday.

The 45-year-old Franklinville resident pleaded guilty in June and initially faced a sentence of 44 months. But the judge rejected that agreement and Armstrong pleaded guilty to a different count and was given the longer sentence.

Prosecutors say Armstrong mailed the invoices, usually for about $647 each, to more than 73,000 schools. The math and language workbooks weren't requested by the schools and were never delivered to them.

The U.S. attorney's office says more than 900 schools sent Amstrong more than $600,000.

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