Trenton Assistant Principal Waives Preliminary Hearing in Embezzlement Case

An assistant principal at Trenton Public Schools charged with embezzlement waived his preliminary hearing Tuesday.

Bret Woodely, 40, of Taylor, was charged with felony embezzlement on Aug. 2 after authorities said he took between $1,000 and $20,000 from the City of Trenton, while working as a part-time seasonal employee at the Trenton Aquatic Center.

Woodley was bound over to Wayne County Circuit Court for an arraignment on the information at 9 a.m. Aug. 27 at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice.

An attorney working on behalf of Woodley's attorney, Leon Weiss of the Fieger Law firm, waived the scheduled preliminary examination of the evidence against Woodley in a meeting before Woodley or his acting attorney, Vincent Haisha, entered the courtroom. 

A representative of the Fieger Law firm said Tuesday morning Weiss will be out of town for two weeks. She denied comment as to whether Weiss would be back in time for the arraignment.

Woodley and Haisha denied comment outside the courthouse.

Woodley, who is also the district athletic director, remains an employee of both the City of Trenton and the Trenton Public School District. He was placed on administrative leave from both positions following the announcement of the charges.

Superintendent Rod Wakeham said he will continue to work with the City of Trenton and the Trenton Police Department in the ongoing investigation.

"If there's anything they need, we are willing to help," Wakeham said.

Scott Church, human resource director for the City of Trenton, could not be reached for comment Tuesday morning.