Former Marble City School Superintendent Larry Duane Couch is to surrender himself Nov. 4 to start serving two concurrent 24-month federal sentences.

Couch pleaded guilty in May to embezzling up to $1 million from the school over 10 years and cheating on his income taxes. After he leaves prison, Couch will have to serve 24 months supervised release and pay a $4,000 fine.

More than 25 taxpayers from his school district appeared at his sentencing Thursday in federal court in Muskogee.

They weren’t happy U.S. District Judge Ronald A. White opted for what he called a “downward departure” from federal sentencing guidelines. Those guidelines would have meant a sentence of from 37 to 46 months.

“I don’t think it’s good enough — look at what all he stole from the school,” said patron Bonnie Rider. “He didn’t just steal for one or two years — he stole it for 10 years.”

School board member Ramon Bolin said he thought the guidelines were a little low before the downward departure.

“I was disappointed — but at least he is going to jail,” Bolin said.

“How is he going to be treated (in prison) — Is he going to have a color TV in his room?” Marvin McCoy asked prosecutor Doug Horn. Horn is the first assistant U.S. attorney and chief of the criminal division in the U.S. Eastern District.

Marble City school board member Barry Spyres said Couch really isn’t suffering, that he has his ranch and some assets.

“The way you get a greedy guy is break him — that would be justice,” Spyres said. “How is he broke?”

Couch has made restitution of $979,000 to the school and paid $109,948.48 in court costs, which included paying for a state audit of the school.

Horn told the Marble City residents that Couch’s family and friends signed an $800,000 note on his land and assets in order for Couch to come up with restitution.

After the sentencing, Couch said he wouldn’t make a statement if someone gave him a $100 bill. Couch’s defense attorney, Donn Baker said he believes Couch is a really, really good man who deserved leniency.

“He’s done everything anybody could do to right the wrong,” Baker said.

The Sequoyah County school has 14 teachers, two more than it had before it was reimbursed the almost $1 million Couch embezzled. The school, which has 148 students, also has been able to set up a computer program for students, said Marble City Superintendent Bill London.