A former employee of the Sweetwater Union High School District was arrested on suspicion of embezzling more than $50,000 in money orders from the district, police reported Wednesday.
Danya Margarita Williams, 42 of Chula Vista, was taken into custody Tuesday and booked into the Las Colina Detention Facility on suspicion of stealing the money while she was employed by the district, Chula Vista police Capt. Phil Collum said.
District officials discovered the alleged embezzlement in late 2017 and reported it to Chula Vista police, Collum said.
Detectives worked with district officials and determined that Williams had allegedly appropriated more than $50,000 in money orders between June 2016 and November 2017, he said.
As part of her job, Williams was responsible for processing money orders received for fingerprint background investigations at the district, which are required during employment screening, according to police.
Each background investigation costs between $52 to $75 per applicant and the applicants pay the fee using money orders, Collum said.
“Instead of processing the money in accordance with district requirements, Williams deposited the money into her personal bank account,” Collum alleged.
The exact amount of money that Williams allegedly embezzled was not revealed, nor was it immediately clear if she posted bail.
–City News Service