Priscilla Taitano Castro, a former Parent Teacher and Student Association officer, has pleaded guilty of stealing more than $4,000 from the association funds and slapped with a one-year prison term. <\/p>\n
Castro, a former vice president of Kagman Elementary School\u2019s PTSA, signed a plea deal with the government and pleaded guilty last week to the offense of theft.<\/p>\n
Superior Court Presiding Judge Robert C. Naraja sentenced the 49-year-old Castro to three years imprisonment, all suspended except one year.<\/p>\n
Naraja gave the defendant credit for time served. It means that the defendant will be released from the Department of Corrections on April 6, 2016.<\/p>\n
After completing the prison term, Castro will be placed on probation for three years. She was required to pay $4,442.34 in restitution to the PTSA of Kagman Elementary School, a $500 fine, $300 in probation fee, and $100 in court fee.<\/p>\n
Castro was also ordered to perform 300 hours of community work service.<\/p>\n
According to the factual basis of the plea agreement, Castro stole $4,442.34 belonging to the PTSA of Kagman Elementary School on June 7, 2013 to Sept. 13, 2013. <\/p>\n
Office of the Public Auditor investigator Thelma M. Mizer disclosed in her report that Castro, who was president of Kagman PTSA during the 2012-2013 school year, admitted to having spent all of the PTSA\u2019s money for her daughter\u2019s graduation party, her house, her husband\u2019s poker habit, and personal use.<\/p>\n
The investigator said Castro also confessed that she pawned the Public School System\u2019s Sony Vaio E Series 14 notebook computer for $150 at 24 Hours Pink House Pawn Shop in Chalan Kanoa, to buy food for her family. <\/p>\n
Last July, Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho rejected a proposed deal for Castro after the judge deemed the three-month prison sentence too lenient.<\/p>\n
Camacho noted that Castro is a repeat offender with several criminal cases involving financial crimes such as forgery and extensive civil action\/small claim cases involving her failure to live up to her financial obligations.<\/p>\n
Camacho enumerated Castro\u2019s five criminal cases and 42 small claims and breach of contract\/collection cases. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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