Schools
Two FCPS Employees Charged with Embezzlement, Money Laundering
Burke resident Bethany Speed, an administrative assistant at Stuart High School, and Sonya Swansbrough, principal of Poe Middle School in Annandale, allegedly embezzled more than $100,000 over the last three years.
Poe Middle School Principal Sonya Swansbrough and another Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) employee have been charged with embezzlement and money laundering Monday.
Fairfax County police believe Swansbrough, 46, of Woodbridge, and Bethany Speed, 38, of Burke, an administrative employee at Jeb Stuart High School, have embezzled more than $100,000 since May 2010.
Speed is Swansbrough's former finance technician, according to a message sent out to Poe parents by Cluster 3 Assistant Superintendent Douglas Tyson. The message further states that Swansbrough has been "temporarily relieved of her duties" and Poe Middle School Assistant Principal Colleen Noone will take over as principal for the time being.
The charges against the two women comes about two months after FCPS asked Fairfax County police to look into "allegations involved falsifying timesheets for personal financial gain," in late September, according to a news release from the Fairfax County Police Department.
The investigation was a joint effort between the FCPD Financial Crimes Unit detectives and FCPS human resources office.
Find out what's happening in Burkewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Swansbrough's son, Brenton Rusnak, 20, of Radford, was also charged with receiving stolen property in connection to this case.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477, e-mail at www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text “TIP187” plus your message to CRIMES/274637 or call Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.Find out what's happening in Burkewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
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