St. Louis, MO - STACEY BROTHERTON, of St. Louis County, pled guilty to embezzling funds from two area schools between 2010 and 2013 today. She appeared before U.S. District Judge John A. Ross.
According to the plea agreement, while in the human resources department of Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School, Brotherton manipulated payroll records to send extra paychecks and paychecks purportedly owed to former employees to bank accounts she controlled. After leaving that employment, Brotherton worked as a payroll consultant to another St. Louis area school and quickly tried to implement a similar scheme, again directing a phony paycheck to a substitute teacher to her own bank account. Shortly thereafter, her misconduct was discovered. In all, Brotherton embezzled approximately $30,000.
Brotherton faces up to 20 years imprisonment and/or a fine up to $250,000 on each count of mail fraud. Restitution is also mandatory. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges. Sentencing has been set for May 22, 2014.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Tom Albus is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
