A judge on Thursday sentenced a Waterloo woman to 15 months in federal prison and 12 months in community confinement, for embezzling more than $135,000 from Dupo Community Unit School District #196 while employed by the district.

Linda J. Johnson, 58, pleaded guilty last year in federal court to one count of theft from a federally funded program. In addition to imprisonment, Johnson was ordered to pay $135,566.80 in restitution to Dupo Community Unit School District #196 and the Ohio Casualty Insurance Company.

According to court documents, Johnson committed the embezzlement while employed in an administrative support role in the superintendent’s office between 2016 and 2022.

In this position, Johnson was responsible for depositing cash and checks into the district’s activities account intended to support student athletics, clubs and extracurriculars. She stole donations and funds raised to support yearbook, cheer, dance, vending machines, trivia nights, science clubs, ROTC and more, prosecutors said.

To conceal her crime, Johnson drafted bank deposit slips reflecting the correct amount of cash and checks received, but later she prepared a second set of fraudulent deposit slips that only accounted for the checks, while she kept the cash.

Johnson committed 165 fraudulent transactions, and the loss to the school district was $135,566.80. Ohio Casualty incurred a portion of the loss after issuing a Public Official Bond insuring Johnson’s duties as bookkeeper.

District officials said the sentencing holds Johnson responsible for severely violating public trust, for the crime directly harmed students, staff and the Dupo School District. The district said it is resolute in its commitment to safeguarding district resources and ensuring accountability.

The district also extended gratitude to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI and Dupo Police Department for their work on this case. The district added it believes the court’s decision sends a clear message that such actions will not be tolerated in schools.