Smithton, Ill. - Roy Joseph Monti, 54, of St. Louis, Missouri, was sentenced last week to 6 months
in federal prison and 6 months of home detention. The former principal of St. John the Baptist
Elementary School in Smithton, Illinois, pleaded guilty back in September to one count of
interstate transportation of stolen money. He will serve an additional 18 months of supervised
release following his home confinement.
According to court documents, from March 2017 to November 2019, Monti used his position as the
school’s principal to embezzle $113,061.87 from the school’s bank account. He attempted to cover up
the thefts by noting purportedly valid expenses on the withdrawal slips, which turned out to be
false and fraudulent. Because he lived in Missouri while working in Illinois, Monti often carried
large amounts of the stolen cash across state lines, which is a federal felony.
As part of his sentence, the federal district court ordered Monti to make full restitution to the
school.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Smithton Police Department.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
