Secretary accused of stealing $1,500

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The employee has been removed from school grounds.

By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.

VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF

LIBERTY — A Liberty School District employee may face felony theft-in-office charges after police and school officials say more than $1,500 is missing from various school funds.

Police reports say a 53-year-old secretary is believed to have taken the money during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 academic years. The woman has worked in the high school about 20 years.

Superintendent Larry Prince called township police about the missing money Friday. An audit is under way and no charges have been filed.

Prince said two other school employees noticed discrepancies in several school banking accounts and brought the matter to his attention.

"This is an ongoing investigation and I really can't comment on ongoing investigations. I can confirm that there is an investigation, but that is about all I can do at this time," he said.

Details

School officials contend the woman was in charge of collecting and depositing money for a fundraiser called "A Penny for Patients." Reports say she showed a total collection of $1,854, but $1,484 was deposited into the school's various accounts.

Police reports say she was also in charge of sending student transcripts to various colleges and universities at a cost of $3 per transcript. Transcript deposits for the 2006-07 school year should have totaled $843, but $528 was deposited into school accounts.

The employee, the reports say, was also in charge of sending the transcripts to colleges and universities during the 2005-06 school year. During that time, $1,515 was collected, but $683 was deposited into school accounts.

The proceeds from concession stand sales for all home games were also entrusted to her.

Reports say she should have deposited the funds immediately after the game, but another employee found the box containing $535 in cash in the woman's possession sometime later. Another employee deposited the money, but reports say the employee later "came looking" for the change box.

Reports say Prince did ask her about the money, but she said she didn't know what happened to the missing funds.

She has been placed on "administrative assignment" and isn't permitted on school grounds, the reports say. Prince said he could offer no further details on how school officials are handling the matter.

The superintendent said that if any changes in policy are needed, those changes will be made when school officials deem them necessary.

jgoodwin@vindy.com

Tuesday, May 1, 2007