Former Bookkeeper Gets Year in Jail for Stealing Student Body Funds

Marcelina Cedillo used the student body funds to gamble at the Spirit Mountain Casino.

Salem-News.com

(DALLAS) - On Friday, Monmouth resident 51-year-old Marcelina Cedillo, appeared in Polk County Circuit Court and was sentenced on a charge of Aggravated Theft in the First Degree by Judge Horner.

She had previously pled guilty to the charge on January 9th.

The defendant worked at Central High School as the student body funds bookkeeper.

Between August of 2005 and April of 2006 she embezzled more than $40,000 from student accounts.

The defendant used the money to gamble at the Spirit Mountain Casino.

The theft was discovered when school district audit procedures revealed discrepancies between receipts and deposits.

A criminal investigation was conducted by Detective Roger Lloyd of the Independence Police Department.

The case was prosecuted by Polk County Chief Deputy D.A. Mark Heslinga.

Dallas attorney Larry Reeves represented the defendant.

Central High School Principal Sylvia Warren spoke on behalf of the high school.

Heslinga argued that there were aggravating circumstances in that the defendant violated a position of trust and the victims (students) were particularly vulnerable.

Reeves argued that defendant had a gambling problem and has sought treatment.

Warren pointed out that the students had worked hard raising money for their extra curricular activities.

This was the money that was stolen by the defendant.

Judge Horner sentenced Cedillo to one year confinement to the supervisory authority followed by 2-years post prison supervision.

The sentence will be served in the Polk County Jail.

The defendant was order to pay restitution in amount of $56,872.10.

That amount represents the money taken plus the costs incurred by the District in investigating the loss.

The Central School District's insurance company provides coverage for losses such as this.

Travelers Insurance Company covered approximately $41,000 of this loss.

These funds were returned to the Central High School student accounts.

The balance will be recoverable through the restitution process.