A Waterloo woman has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for embezzling over $135,000 from the Dupo Community Unit School District #196. Linda J. Johnson, 58, will serve three months in a federal prison and an additional 12 months in community confinement after pleading guilty to theft from a federally funded program.
Johnson was also ordered to pay restitution amounting to $135,566.80 to both the school district and the Ohio Casualty Insurance Company. Her embezzlement occurred while she worked in an administrative support role in the superintendent’s office between 2016 and 2022.
In her position, Johnson was tasked with depositing cash and checks into the district's activities account meant for student programs such as athletics and clubs. Instead, she stole funds intended for various school activities including yearbook, cheerleading, dance, vending machines, trivia nights, science clubs, and ROTC.
To hide her actions, Johnson created two sets of bank deposit slips: one accurate set reflecting all received funds and another fraudulent set accounting only for checks while keeping the cash herself. This led to 165 fraudulent transactions resulting in a total loss of $135,566.80.
The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company incurred part of this loss due to a Public Official Bond that insured Johnson’s responsibilities as bookkeeper.
District officials expressed that "the sentencing holds Linda Johnson responsible for severely violating public trust," noting that her crime directly impacted students and staff at Dupo School District. They emphasized their commitment to safeguarding resources and ensuring accountability within the district. The district thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, and Dupo Police Department for their work on this case and stated that "the court's decision sends a clear message that such actions will not be tolerated in schools."
The investigation involved efforts from both the Dupo Police Department and the FBI Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Weinhoeft prosecuted the case.
